Opposition leaders have criticised the IRA statement as "an affront" and "petulant, belligerent and somewhat threatening". Marie O'Halloran reports.
In the Dáil, Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny called for a debate following the statement in which the paramilitary organisation withdrew proposals for the completion of weapons decommissioning.
The Mayo TD described the statement as "an affront to Irish people, North and South". He said great resentment was taken at the reference to the leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann. "There is one Óglaigh na hÉireann in this country and that is the Irish Army and the members of the Irish Army wear that logo with pride on their uniforms." He called for Dáil business to be set aside for a debate "following this implied threat that the Good Friday agreement will not be concluded unless the Provisional republican movement gets its way in all circumstances".
Labour leader Mr Pat Rabbitte said the statement was "petulant, belligerent and somewhat threatening" and it "seeks to lay the blame at everyone else's door for the stalling of the peace process".
Green Party TD Mr Dan Boyle (Cork, South-Central) also supported the call for a debate to discuss the statement "especially because of its belligerent tone and its implication that weapons can be used as some kind of bargaining chip".
The Minister for Finance, Mr Cowen, who was taking the Order of Business, said these were matters to be referred to the Taoiseach who spoke on behalf of the Government on these issues. "It is not for me to make any further comment, only to say that from our point of view it is a matter for the two governments to discharge their responsibilities in ensuring that the agreement is implemented in full."
In its statement, issued through An Phoblacht, the republican newspaper, the IRA said it was prepared in December last year to speedily resolve the issue of arms decommissioning and to end activities that might endanger the Belfast Agreement.
But it said its initiatives had been attacked, devalued and dismissed by those who "demanded the humiliation of the IRA" and the Government had lent itself to those attacks. The IRA said it would not remain quiescent to "this unacceptable situation" and was taking its proposals off the table.