Eight out of 10 people want the IRA to begin decommissioning immediately, according to an opinion poll published today.
The poll, published by
Ireland on Sunday
, showed 83 per cent of the population was in favour of immediate disarmament. Just 10 per cent was in favour of the IRA keeping its weapons.
The poll also indicated that a majority of people in the Republic blame the IRA for the current impasse in Northern Ireland's peace process. . Some 36 per cent of those surveyed - in a poll of 1,004 people carried about ICM - blamed IRA inaction on the arms issue for the deadlock, while 28 per cent found fault with the unionists for not giving the IRA more time to disarm.
Mr Martin McGuinness, chief negotiator of Sinn Féin said this weekend he was working flat out to get the IRA to disarm.
However, he did not say whether a move on arms could happen in time to prevent the collapse of the Executive - which will be triggered by a planned walkout by Ulster Unionist ministers on Wednesday.