Some 45 per cent of voters believe the IRA has not made clear its intention to end all paramilitary activities, with just 31 per cent believing that it has and 24 per cent having no opinion, according to the latest Irish Times/TNS mrbi opinion poll, Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent.
Despite this finding, the republican movement is blamed by just 15 per cent for the breakdown of the recent negotiations on the Belfast Agreement. These foundered on the issue of the clarity of the IRA's statement in relation to its future intentions.
The Ulster Unionist Party is blamed more than anyone else for the failure.
The greater number of voters in all regions, social groups and age categories do not believe the IRA has made clear its intention to end all paramilitary activities, as it was required to do by the British and Irish governments.
Only among Sinn Féin supporters is there a belief that the IRA has made its intention clear, with 69 per cent saying it has, 15 per cent that it has not and 15 per cent having no opinion.
However, 35 per cent of voters say the Ulster Unionist Party is most to blame for the breakdown in the process which led to the postponement of Assembly elections until the autumn.
The British government is blamed by 15 per cent, the IRA by 10 per cent, Sinn Féin by 5 per cent, the DUP by 6 per cent, the Irish Government by 2 per cent and the SDLP by 1 per cent. Some 27 per cent had no opinion.
The blame attached to the republican movement - Sinn Féin and the IRA combined - is at its highest among Labour Party supporters (22 per cent), in Leinster (17 per cent) and within the better-off ABC1 social group (17 per cent).
The republican movement is blamed least in Connacht/Ulster (10 per cent) and by Sinn Féin supporters (3 per cent). Older voters are more likely to blame the Ulster Unionist Party, with 40 per cent of those aged 50-64 blaming them and 43 per cent of the over-65s doing so.
The poll was conducted last Monday and Tuesday immediately after the public controversy ignited over the existence of a British agent in the IRA, known as "Stakeknife".
It was conducted among 1,000 voters at 100 locations spread among all 42 constituencies in the State.
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