Unionist politicians have said that a report from the international arms body shows the IRA has no intention of decommissioning.
They said the International Commission on Decommissioning had obviously failed in its efforts and it was now time to expel Sinn Fein from the Executive. The British government expressed disappointment at the lack of progress on disarmament.
In its report yesterday, the commission also said there had been no decommissioning by the UVF or the UDA. The UVF had said it would not consider disarming until it knew the IRA's plans and there was a declaration saying the war was over.
The UDA said decommissioning was difficult even to discuss when two leading loyalists, including its Shankill Road commander, Johnny Adair, remained in jail.
The commission said that in its talks with the IRA, the paramilitary group had not spelled out how it planned to put its weapons beyond use.
The report acknowledged that a second deadline for decommissioning had lapsed. However, it added that it had been assured of the IRA's commitment to put its arms beyond use, which it thought was made "in good faith".
It did not believe it would secure progress by making demands or new deadlines. Despite calls for its withdrawal from the decommissioning process, the commission said it would continue to work for progress on the arms issue.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said it was important to emphasise the positive points following the report yesterday of the International Commission on Decommissioning.
"There are a number of things we should emphasise rather than the negative all the time," said Mr Ahern.
He said that when all the progress was taken together, "there is an inevitability of getting to the end of this and of course, we have to keep working to achieve that".
He said the IRA had engaged in several meetings over the last few months with Gen John De Chastelain and his colleagues. The international inspectors had "positively reported" on their third inspection of arms dumps.
There was a commitment from the IRA, said Mr Ahern, that it was prepared to work to put its arms completely beyond use. "The sum of all those are significant. What we have to do is to build a bit more on that, on that side of things, to bring things forward."
Mr Ahern said the inspectors in the International Commission would continue to talk to the three paramilitary organisations to try to find a resolution. "I also welcome the fact that they highlight that they are satisfied to look at alternative means other than those that are specified to try to deal with the decommissioning issue."
Mr Ahern was asked about the reopening, by Mr Seamus Mallon, of the question of Sinn Fein's possible expulsion from the Northern Ireland Executive if the IRA failed to begin decommissioning within weeks.
He said: "Our view, and I think it is the British government's view, is that we have to keep on trying to implement all aspects of the agreement. I think if we get into this particular aspect of it, it is unlikely to get us much success. That is not going to help us."
A Downing Street spokesman said the British government was disappointed that contacts between the commission and the IRA had yet to produce a positive result.
"Whilst we are obviously encouraged by the number of meetings between the IRA representative and the commission, what we need to know is how and when arms will be put beyond use".
The commission said it had asked the IRA "in a number of lengthy meetings since March" to provide information of how it intended to disarm. "In each of our meetings, we have been assured of the IRA commitment to put its arms beyond use, completely and verifiably, but only in the context of its statement of May 6th 2000."
The IRA's offer then was in the context of progress on policing, demilitarisation and the working of the political institutions on an inclusive basis.
"Taken in conjunction with the continued maintenance of the July 1997 ceasefire and the opening of some IRA arms dumps to inspections by the International Inspectorate, we believe this conditional commitment is made in good faith," the commission stated.
"We have, however, been unable to ascertain how the IRA will put its arms beyond use, except for the assurances that it will be complete and verifiable." The commission said the IRA's representative had expressed an eagerness to continue his engagement with the body.
Ulster Unionist MP Mr David Burnside said the time had come to realise the commission had failed and for democrats to move towards expelling Sinn Fein from government.
"There should be no more deadlines set. The De Chastelain Commission has failed. There is absolutely nothing in this report of note from the IRA - not one gun, not one amount of explosives.
"Irrespective of their mandate, republicans have invalidated it by refusing to decommission. Over the course of the next six weeks, the unionist parties, the SDLP and Alliance will have to come together and decide if they want something at Stormont to go ahead without Sinn Fein on the Executive."
DUP Assembly member the Rev Willie McCrea said it was clear the IRA had no intention of disarming. "If you listen to David Trimble, what he has been calling for is a gesture on arms but a gesture is insufficient. The DUP believes in full decommissioning - the actual destruction of IRA and other paramilitary weapons."
Mr McCrea said Sinn Fein must be excluded from the Executive. He also said the De Chastelain Commission had "had its day".
"This has been a very costly exercise at a time when hospitals are being closed and heart operations are being cancelled," he said.