The failure of republicans to honour commitments under the Belfast Agreement has raised doubt as to whether they should remain in government in Northern Ireland, former Foreign Affairs junior minister, Ms Liz O'Donnell said today.
But Sinn Fein leader Mr Gerry Adams criticised the comments saying they proposed disenfranchising republican voters.
Addressing the Forum for Peace, and Reconciliation in Dublin Castle, Ms O'Donnell said she understood the concerns of unionists and expressed concern about the slow pace of decommissioning by the IRA and its failure to respond to demands in the peace process for acts of completion.
She attributed the "loss of confidence" in the unionist community to the slow pace of decommissioning.
"I think if George Mitchell [former Stormont talks chairman] was with us today he would put us through our paces and ask each one of us has the decommissioning process turned out the way we intended it to be?
"I would say hand on heart that the disarmament we had in mind has not happened."
The Progressive Democrat TD told delegates that while she accepted that decommissioning had taken place, there had not been sufficient movement quickly.
Ms O'Donnell praised Ulster Unionist leaders like David Trimble and Sir Reg Empey but said unionist leaders needed to make more of an effort to sell the benefits of the Agreement and their achievements to their community.
Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams criticised the her comments, claiming that it was inappropriate to deny Sinn Fein's mandate. "What gives us our entitlement to be in Government is our mandate.
"But I've also pointed out that the remarks by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern a long time ago in the run in into elections that Sinn Fein would not be part of Government here in this state was also wrong.
"Of course every party has a right to say whether or not they will go into coalition with other parties but the Taoiseach's remarks were quite cynical, were aimed at a Fine Gael vote which his party knew was obviously going to come to them and they were seeking to assure a constituency that their vote would be safe in the hands of Fianna Fail.
"It has been used, as I am sure Liz O'Donnell's remarks will be used in the weeks ahead, to beat people who are Sinn Fein voters over the head.
"Now you cannot have an agreement unless you uphold the rights of citizens.
"Liz O'Donnell went on when she made that remark to talk about a people's agreement. How can you have a people's agreement if you disenfranchise that section of people who happen to be republican?
PA