Ulster Unionist Party leader Reg Empey today urged Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain to find a "meaningful role" for the North's politicians during the current impasse.
Sir Reg met Mr Hain at Stormont to tell him he had to act by the autumn at the latest.
He said it was clear that the British government was going to wait before doing anything until the IRA issued its long awaited response to the pre-election call from Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams to a commitment to democracy.
However he said : "We are more interested in what they are actually going to do, and it is going to take time for people to accept they have acted - people have had their fingers burned before."
But Sir Reg said there could not be political paralysis while everyone waited for republicans.
"Mr Hain needs to look at Stormont and give it a meaningful role. It will not be the full Monty because there is no appetite for government including Sinn Féin, and the SDLP have ruled out going ahead without them.
"I am not talking about a talking shop and we have to have a decision no later than the autumn," he said. He accused ministers of having been too interested in rewarding those who were intransigent.
"Sinn Féin has had seven years to do what it should do and hasn't, and they continue to be rewarded for that. "I think the government has lost sight of what it set out to achieve a number of years ago."
The parading issue also needed to be moved up the political agenda and given Mr Hain's attention, said Sir Reg. "There needs to be an overall settlement so we are not faced with this problem every year."
PA