POLITICIANS in Dublin reacted with dismay to Wednesday's London bombing. Both the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, and opposition leaders called for a full restoration of the IRA ceasefire.
Mr Bruton said the bombing was another setback for the peace process.
There was no halfway mark between violence and peace, he added. People involved in violence had to decide which way to go, since they could not pursue both paths simultaneously.
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said the bomb attack illustrated all too clearly the urgency of Sinn Fein responding to the ground rules for all party negotiations.
"There must be no more of these bombs with their potential to damage lives - and especially with their potential to damage all our futures," he said.
",We want Sinn Fein at the negotiating table, but a restoration of the ceasefire is essential. Even if the situation is examined purely from Sinn Fein's perspective, the conditions exist now for that unequivocal restoration.
"As I understand, Sinn Fein have indicated that they are going examine the ground rules carefully before they give a considered response".
The bombing had "no contribution to make" and was a "distraction" from the political challenges ahead, the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern said.
He told Carlow Chamber of Commerce: "What is most vital to our future is the full reinstatement of the IRA ceasefire and the commencement of serious all party negotiations from June 10th".
His party regarded the ground rules and legislation published earlier this week in a broadly positive light.
"But the notion of having a schedule of parties who may contest elections decided by the Secretary of State should be dropped as totally undemocratic. It is not helpful to have individuals and fringe groups able to claim that they are being excluded from the democratic process.
"I regard the political and democratic engagement between parties North and South since the first ceasefire as largely irreversible."
There were exciting possibilities of island wide co operation, with a system of government and institutions that could command consent on both sides.
"Peace and prosperity, coupled together with active confidence building measures to combat social deprivation and community disadvantage, and to make equality of treatment and parity "of esteem a reality, could progressively help solve a large part of the political problem," Mr Ahern said.
The Progressive Democrats leader, Ms Mary Harney, also condemned the bomb, describing it as a cynical exercise designed to force concessions from the two governments.
She urged the Sinn Fein leadership to use its influence to bring about a total cessation of violence.