Tom Gillen, acting NI officer for ICTU: "If the agreement breaks down, tens of millions of pounds will be lost, there will be serious damage to the economy, and people will lose their lives, people should remember that above all.
"The people of the island have already spoken out by giving massive support to the agreement and now the parties have a duty to these people. It shouldn't be beyond their abilities to come up with an agreement, ensuring that the executive is set up and decommissioning starts."
Paul Gorecki, director of the Northern Ireland Economic Council: "The implementation of the agreement is the only way to give a sound basis for development and creating opportunities. We must emphasise the opportunity for increased employment and prosperity, reducing long-term unemployment and combating marginalisation.
"Continued uncertainty will lead to investments in the economy being put on hold by firms. Investors don't like uncertainty, and branch managers of Firms in Northern Ireland will have serious problems getting their companies to invest here.
"This is such an important prize for people. An agreement will reduce the substantial public expenditure of attracting firms and investment into the state, as well as on security. The money can then be spent on improving the education system, reducing educational disadvantage, and expanding third level education which Northern Ireland needs."
Nigel Smyth, director of the Confederation of British Industry "This is a real opportunity which will not come around again soon. It is very important for creating confidence in the business community in general and attracting inward investment, tourism and keeping the confidence of existing customers of businesses in the North. If the process fails, the North will lose a lot of goodwill from around the world especially from the United States, where people who have put in a lot are getting frustrated.
"Northern Ireland needs to get its act together because the world is moving on. A lot of energy is being sucked into these negotiations which needs to be put into other issues which need to be tackled and the parties have got a strong message from civic society to do whatever they can."
(reporting by Rory Kelleher)
