Fine Gael and Labour expressed disappointment and regret last night at the suspension of the new political institutions but said they believed the process could be restarted and progress made so far could be built upon.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, said that unionist impatience for decommissioning had not allowed "time for militant republicans to reorientate themselves".
The suspension was disappointing, he said, and the process should be restarted at a more "deliberate and incremental pace".
Some participants had lacked patience at various stages, he said. Nationalists and republicans had been impatient for talks to start once a ceasefire was in place, while unionists had been impatient for decommissioning.
"The proposed solutions in the Belfast Agreement were unprecedented, interdependent and necessarily complex," Mr Bruton said. "The complexity of the problem may not have been fully understood by some participants who lacked patience at some stages.
"The dynamics of the media, with its deadlines and requirements for complete and instant answers, may have added to the general air of impatience. Tomorrow is a new day. We must start anew."
The Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, also expressed deep regret at the suspension but said the progress made in the last few days must be built on. "Everybody, and I mean everybody, has come too far to stop now," he said.
"Even in the brief 72 days of this Executive we have seen enough proof that politics and only politics offers a brighter future for Northern Ireland." He said the suspension decision could not become an obstacle to lasting peace and democratic politics.
"What is required now is a period of reflection before a renewed attempt to ensure that the democratically expressed wishes of the Irish people, North and South, can be fulfilled.
"Labour has always held the view and remains of the view that the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement represents the best way forward for all the people of Ireland.
"Despite today's regrettable outcome, some progress has been made in the last few days and it must be built upon in the weeks ahead."