The British government today came under pressure to revive devolution in Northern Ireland without Sinn Féin in power at Stormont following a major Garda investigation into a money laundering operation.
Irish police were questioning six men and a woman held in Dublin and Cork, including two members of Sinn Féin, following raids. One of those detained is believed to be a former Sinn Fein electoral candidate.
Further searches were carried out on houses and business premises last night in Dublin and Cork and also in other parts of the State.
Democratic Unionist MP Jeffery Donaldson claimed that, if Sinn Féin was linked to last December's £26.5 million sterling Northern Bank robbery in Belfast following these raids, Sinn Féin would face huge ramifications for its role in the peace process.
"As evidence emerges from the police operation in Cork and Dublin, the link between the IRA and the Northern Bank raid is very much at the fore. Not only that - it seems Sinn Féin are very firmly in the frame as well on this one.
"If it is confirmed that this major money laundering operation involved money from the Northern Bank robbery, that will have huge political ramifications and the credibility of the Republican movement will be in tatters given both the denial by the IRA and Sinn Féin leadership in recent weeks," he said.
"As it is, the credibility of Sinn Féin is at an all-time low and it is difficult to see how we can revive negotiations that include the Republican movement.
"Therefore I think there is a huge responsibility on the government to move the political process forward. We will be urging the restoration of the Assembly and explore the potential for political institutions which include parties committed to democracy and peaceful means," Mr Donaldson said.
"Sinn Féin by its own actions have excluded themselves from Government."