The time has arrived for Sinn Féin and the IRA to manifestly prove that the war is finally over in Northern Ireland and to assert the primacy of democratic politics. There can be no further procrastination. No more conditional commitments. No insulting pretence that the republican movement is not a seamless whole.
The final stumbling block - acceptance of an oversight body that would monitor any IRA paramilitary activity and, if necessary, recommend sanction against Sinn Féin - must be overcome. If the IRA can bring itself to stand down its organisation in the interests of the peace process, and mean it, why should Sinn Féin fear the quality of its commitment?
A flurry of diplomatic activity took place in Dublin yesterday when the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, met the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen. Later, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and Mr Cowen held discussions with the president of Sinn Féin, Mr Gerry Adams, and its chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness. Some hard talking was done. And Sinn Féin was left in no doubt about the determination of both Governments to adhere to the 'shared understanding' they reached last month at Hillsborough. There would be no change concerning the make-or-break issue of an oversight body with United States involvement. The Sinn Féin leadership has objected strenuously to the creation of such a body, on the grounds that it could be used by the Ulster Unionists as a mechanism for ejecting the party from a future Northern Ireland Executive.
While prepared to offer 'clarification' on the various matters set out in their 'shared understanding', the Governments are insisting the detailed package negotiated with the pro-Agreement parties at Hillsborough must be taken as a whole. Time is short. Half of the interval set aside for consultation and deliberation within the various organisations has elapsed. An 'act of completion' by the IRA is awaited. The Ulster Unionists will not respond until that happens. And the clock ticks towards the Northern Ireland Assembly elections which have been deferred to May 29th.
This coming weekend, Sinn Féin will hold its annual árdfheis when the leadership is expected to indicate its attitude to the proposals put forward by the two Governments. Given its past, super-cautious behaviour, a formal decision may be deferred to a special árdfheis while it seeks further concessions. The discovery of a cache of IRA weapons in Belfast last Saturday will heighten Ulster Unionist resolve that the IRA must cease all activity if Sinn Féin is to participate in a new Executive.
A great deal of progress has been made in the five years since the Belfast Agreement was endorsed. It cannot be put in jeopardy. The parliamentary leader of Sinn Féin, Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, in the Dáil debate on the Iraq war last week, said that weapons of mass destruction must be put verifiably beyond use. What is good for the Iraqi goose applies also to the Northern Ireland gander.