Today's announcement by the head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) that the IRA had verifiably put its arms beyond use has been given a broad welcome.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kennysaid the completion of the decommissioning process "removes one of the key obstacles to political progress in Northern Ireland."
"It also fulfills the clearly expressed democratic wish of the Irish people, North and South, when they endorsed the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
"I hope that the completion of IRA decommissioning will be matched in the future by the loyalist paramilitary organisations and I urge these groups to re-establish contact with General de Chastelain and his colleagues.
"I also hope that the Provisional Movement will soon fulfil its remaining commitments to end all paramilitary and criminal activities so that a political process based on exclusively peaceful and democratic means can be revitalised".
Pat Rabbitte, leader of the Labour Party,welcomed the move and called on the Republican Movement to now support the PSNI.
He said the move had "the potential to transform the situation and herald a new era of peaceful and democratic politics in Northern Ireland."
However, the Labour leader was critical of the time it took the provisionals to decommission their arms.
"The delays as well as the duplicitous approach of the Provisional movement in regard to such issues as the Northern Bank robbery and the Robert McCartney murder means that decommissioning - welcome as it is - is not likely to have the same impact as it would have had in May 2000," he said.
He said: "Republicans must now follow the example of all other democratic parties North and South and commit themselves to creating a fully lawful society in Northern Ireland; one where respect for the rule of law is dominant and where all criminal activity is at an end.
"The best way of achieving this is to give their support to the PSNI and involve themselves fully in policing structures," he said.
Green Party leader Trevor Sargentsaid today it was "an important milestone on the road to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and one which we warmly welcome."
"However it must be remembered that this is still only a critical staging post in the overall process. There is still some way to go," he added.
"Three important elements still need completion before the Good Friday Agreement can be implemented in full. These are loyalist decommissioning; Sinn Féin signing up to the Police Commission; and Unionists coming into Government."