The Ulster Unionist Party is to raise the state of the IRA ceasefire during today's round of talks at Stormont. However, Sinn Fein's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, has insisted the IRA ceasefire is "rock solid".
The DUP, led by the party leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, also met the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, yesterday to claim that the IRA has breached its ceasefire on numerous occasions in recent months.
Dr Paisley said the IRA had committed murders, shootings and beatings while allegedly in ceasefire mode. He said that in these circumstances Sinn Fein, because it was inextricably linked to the IRA, should be thrown out of the talks.
Against this background it was inconceivable that anybody could be satisfied with a republican commitment that it would disarm, Dr Paisley said.
The Ulster Unionist Party expressed concern that two prisoners arrested in Donegal last week had been allowed into the IRA wing in Portlaoise Prison.
It said the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, should "no longer turn a blind eye to the activities of all paramilitary organisations".
The party is to raise the issue with Mr Ahern and Mr Blair at Stormont today.
Mr McGuinness, ein however, insisted that the IRA ceasefire remained intact. "I believe that the IRA ceasefire is rock solid," he told reporters.
He said unionists were trying to create the impression that "the IRA are involved in armed actions, and are back at war, or are going to return to war. There is no evidence whatsoever for such suggestions."
A spokesman for Dr Mowlam said the state of all the ceasefires was under constant review. He said Dr Mowlam was in regular contact with her security advisers. "She has to act on hard evidence. If she gets that evidence she has said she will not hesitate to act," he added.
