Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has called on the IRA to end its armed struggle and embrace politics.
Speaking in Conway Mill in West Belfast this afternoon at the start of Sinn Fein's general election campaign, Mr Adams said the Northern Ireland peace process was at a critical stage.
He accused the Irish Government in particular of being involved in a "vicious campaign of vilification" against republicans due to Sinn Féin's growing political influence.
He said he had strongly defended the right of the IRA in the past to engage in armed struggle. "I did so because there was no alternative for those who would not bend the knee, or turn a blind eye to oppression, or for those who wanted a national republic," he said.
He said there was now an alternative, and it is his belief that the way forward is by building political support for republicans and republican ideals, and "by winning support for these goals internationally."
Mr Adams said the IRA was now being used as the excuse by unionists and the Irish Government "not to engage properly in the process of building peace with justice in Ireland".
He appealed to the leadership of the IRA to follow Sinn Fein down the political route. "I want to use this occasion, therefore, to appeal to the leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann to fully embrace and accept this alternative."
Mr Adams said he knew "full well that such truly historic decisions can only be taken in the aftermath of intense internal consultation."
"I ask that you initiate this as quickly as possible."
It is understood the IRA Army Council is studying Mr Adams' appeal.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted in a statement tonight that Mr Adams's speech could only be welcomed if it was matched by action from the IRA. He said the people of Ireland had gone through years of "false dawns and dashed hopes".
"We must obviously await the response of the IRA to this appeal. It is vital that the IRA's consultations be concluded in a timely manner and that everyone will know that the necessary steps have been taken, that they will be adhered to and that the IRA is thus moving on."
Downing Street described Mr Adams's appeal as significant. "Obviously the key will be what the IRA does as a result, and it's on that that any final judgment must be made," a statement said.
"But we hope this represents the way forward for republicanism because the only way forward is through exclusively peaceful and democratic means."
DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley claimed the speech was a political stunt and said his party would not negotiate with republicans. "All we hear from Gerry Adams from time to time are words and these words are shown to be lies because they are floating in rivers of blood caused by IRA activity," he said.
"The unionist population have proved him in the past to be an absolute deceiver and a liar and this is just another political stunt promoting himself as a democrat."
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the statement was "an insult to the intelligence of the Irish people".
"This has more to do with attempting to grab attention for Sinn Fein on the first day of the Westminster election campaign than with any positive initiative to restore the peace process," he said.
The Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte was also sceptical. "Despite the promises of a major breakthrough in the pre-publicity, his initiative amounts to little more than a call on the IRA to initiate internal consultations around the principle of 'purely political and democratic activity'," he said.
"In specific terms, his speech is silent on the subject of criminality, silent on the murder of Robert McCartney, silent on the disbandment or standing down of the IRA."
