Very little has been said by leading participants for some time about the peace process in Northern Ireland. This is most unusual.
Thousands of words have been spoken since the IRA called its first ceasefire in the summer of 1994 cajoling and encouraging Sinn Féin to decommission its army and pursue its political aims by exclusively democratic means. Such exhortations have not been heard in recent months, however, because the days of nudge and fudge are over.
A turning point was reached in the aftermath of the IRA's failure to commit to end all criminal activities last December. It was then that the true nature of the "dispensation" being sought by Sinn Féin and the IRA became clear to one and all. That dispensation from democratic principles was defined not only by the Northern Bank robbery and the killing of Mr Robert McCartney; by the Garda investigations into money-laundering and the republican involvement in organised crime. There were even attempts by some leading republicans to redefine what constitutes a crime in this State.
Reliable reports indicate that the two governments are expecting the IRA to make a public statement about its intentions later this month. Mr Gerry Adams and Mr Martin McGuinness have engaged personally with republicans at different meetings. They don't intend to call an IRA convention. The arms were moved, apparently, to two locations at the end of last year. An air of expectation is being generated, once again, that something is about to happen.
But, there can be no war of words now between Sinn Féin and democratic Ireland about the future of the IRA. The time has come for action, not further ambiguity.There are issues of crucial national interest at stake which touch the core of our existence as a democratic State. And, the events of recent months - murder, gangsterism, thuggery, cover-ups, money-laundering and downright robbery - mean that it will not be good enough to return to the promised statement of last December.
Whatever verb is used, the IRA has to cease to exist and be seen to do so. There is one Army in this State. There must be complete decommissioning of arms verified by the de Chastelain Commission. There must be a verifiable end to paramilitarism and criminality.
It is hoped that, with the passage of time, the two governments have not lost the initial sense of outrage over the IRA's double-dealing with democracy. It is also hoped that the end of the IRA as an army will see the onus placed on the Democratic Unionist Party to resume power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. It is Sinn Féin's ambition to exercise power in this State, however, which places the ultimate responsibility on Mr Bertie Ahern, not Mr Tony Blair, in coming weeks. There are suggestions that Sinn Féin would prefer to do a deal with the British government. Whatever the disposition of the British, the cause of Irish democracy demands that the Taoiseach takes the lead and gets this right.