The Alliance president, Dr Philip McGarry, has challenged the Minister for Justice to explain exactly why the terms of the Belfast Agreement do not apply to the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe.
Dr McGarry said Mr O'Donoghue had to answer some very pressing questions. "Those who voted for the agreement, both North and South, are entitled to know the precise reasons why it is not to be implemented regarding this case.
"Already, large numbers of paramilitary prisoners have been released on both sides of the Border. While this has been painful for the victims, it has been accepted as an integral part of the agreement and in reality the price that had to paid to persuade the IRA, the UVF and the UDA to stop their campaigns of violence."
The Northern Ireland Unionist Party, the North's newest political group, was officially launched at Stormont yesterday. It was formed by four Assembly members who left the UK Unionist Party after falling out with their party leader, Mr Bob McCartney, over strategy.
Mr Cedric Wilson, Mr Paddy Roche, Mr Norman Boyd and Mr Roger Hutchinson said they would work with all other anti-agreement parties at Stormont.
"The battle for Northern Ireland to remain in the UK will be fought in this Assembly and we plan to do our part to help win it," Mr Wilson said. He claimed the NIUP's four votes could prove crucial.
Mr Roche urged anti-agreement UUP members to vote against setting up the new government structures at Stormont on Monday. "Mr Trimble is pursuing a foolish and dangerous strategy of taking us up to the brink of letting IRA/Sinn Fein in government and thinking he can either park, review or refuse to implement the agreement.
"Mr Trimble failed to get decommissioning and the dismantling of paramilitary organisations into the agreement as a prerequisite for government, so the best way for all principled unionists to prevent IRA/Sinn Fein from taking office is to stand together and reject this report."
An opinion poll in yesterday's Belfast Telegraph shows almost two-thirds of Ulster Unionist supporters believe Mr Trimble is doing a good or very good job as First Minister. Only 13 per cent gave him a poor or very poor rating, while 24 per cent thought his performance was neither good nor poor.
Mr Trimble was even more popular with SDLP supporters - 70 per cent thought his performance good or very good. However, only 20 per cent of Sinn Fein voters shared this view, with 58 per cent believing he was doing a poor or very poor job.
Of the overall population, 57 per cent thought Mr Trimble was doing a good or very good job; a quarter thought his performance was neither good nor poor and 18 per cent thought it poor or very poor.
The North's Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, proved even more popular, with 62 per cent of people believing him to be doing a good or very good job; 24 per cent judging it neither good nor bad; and only 13 per cent saying poor or very poor.