Arms decommissioning was an indispensable element of the Belfast Agreement, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs told the House.
"Indeed, I do not believe we would have had any agreement unless that particular aspect of illegal weapons was addressed, as it was in some detail. We want to see the full implementation of the agreement," said Ms Liz O'Donnell.
"I believe that the decommissioning aspect will be achieved in the context of the overall implementation of all aspects of the agreement. The issue of arms must be dealt with in that context."
Ms O'Donnell said at Question Time that it was important, at this stage, that all parties provide each other with the assurances necessary to secure progress, "namely assurances that we are all committed to an inclusive approach and convincing and credible assurances that violence is a thing of the past".
She said the Government, in its work with the British government and the parties concerned, had focused on broadening the context in which trust and confidence could be built.
The Fine Gael spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Gay Mitchell, asked Ms O'Donnell to confirm that the Government valued the pluralist approach of parties in the House towards the North "over and above the pan-nationalist approach adopted by a handful of self-appointed so-called soldiers".
The Minister replied that, since taking office, the Government had greatly appreciated the crossparty support for its efforts to resolve the recurring difficulties. "We cannot simply continue to have a process which stops and starts, with trust being built up and subsequently undermined."
Earlier, Ms O'Donnell said it was necessary to create a positive dynamic in which all sides provided and received necessary assurances, including that violence was not an option and that democratic inclusivity was the only way forward.
"The challenge before us is substantial. However, we have overcome difficulties in the past, and I am convinced we can do so again now. We could never have come so far had the parties, and perhaps most especially their leaders, not been willing to demonstrate courage, flexibility and generosity. The same qualities are called for now."