Loyalists can work to make their communities prosper, or watch them drift into criminality and political oblivion, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Mr Murphy has warned.
"Violent, criminal loyalism has nothing to offer but misery to its own community, and its neighbours. I understand the frustration of loyalists that they do not have a greater political voice.
"But the reality is that people will only vote for loyalist politicians. They will not vote for loyalist gangsters," Mr Murphy told the Dublin Chamber of Commerce annual dinner last night.
The turmoil created within the Ulster Defence Association in the wake of the murder of one of its leaders, Mr John Gregg, has reminded the public of "the futility of violence", he said.
Echoing the views of the Taoiseach, the NI Secretary said "the next few weeks" offer the chance to consign politically-motivated violence to history, if trust between all sides can be restored.
The Good Friday Agreement granted a veto on progress to both the political parties and paramilitaries. "The Agreement was constructed in such a way that either everyone moved forward together, or no-one moved.
"Paramilitaries can veto political progress by maintaining their activities. Political parties - whether unionist or nationalist - can withdraw their support and exercise their veto. That's politics," he said.
Despite Sinn Féin's charges that unionists are not prepared to share power, Mr Murphy said they have shown that they are willing to do so - and willing to do more if violence ceases permanently.
"I remain confident that we can move forward - that everyone will decide to play their part, to make the final leap in implementing the Agreement. My confidence comes from observing both communities since my return to Northern Ireland.
"What is within reach is a new era of stability in which we can leave not just the years of violence behind, but also those of constant negotiations, and talk of renegotiation. Within reach is something that Northern Ireland has never had: absolute certainty about how the future will be decided and the rules by which all sides should, and will, abide."
Addressing the same dinner, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, said efforts to resolve the current crisis would step up during next week's talks in Hillsborough.
The next few weeks would offer "a critical window" to see if a compromise could be agreed in time for the scheduled Assembly elections on May 1st. The partnership between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, has been "a key engine of progress" and it will be "rock solid" in the time ahead, he said.