Mr David Trimble should have stepped down as First Minister when the UUP threatened to pull down political institutions last month, Sinn Féin claimed today.
Sinn Féin's Mr Martin McGuinness also rejected the Ulster Unionist leader's call for him to resign as education minister in a bid to save the power-sharing administration.
"As Minister for Education I have been dealing with hugely important issues of great relevance to our children, parents and indeed to our entire society," he told BBC Radio Ulster. "I think it is a bit rich of David Trimble to make that call.
"I mean, if I had been David Trimble at the time the Ulster Unionist Council effectively overturned policy in relation to the Good Friday Agreement and the institutions and threatened to walk away, I would have resigned my position.
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"But there is a responsibility for all of us to defend the Agreement and to defend the inclusive nature of that Agreement".
He insisted the Sinn Féin leadership was "absolutely committed" to the peace process and had the backing of republicans.
On the same programme, Deputy First Minister Mr Mark Durkan warned the British and Irish Governments against allowing a "cooling-off period" once devolution was suspended.
The SDLP leader said: "If there is a cooling-off period that some people are talking about, then the Agreement will just go cold, the process will go cold. We will just be treated to much more mutual recrimination".
Mr Durkan was unable to confirm reports that he and Mr Trimble would be kept on as advisers to the direct rule Ministers once devolution was suspended.