Sinn Fein has said there is growing frustration among nationalists in Northern Ireland at the British government's "inertia" over the peace process. A party negotiator at the Stormont talks, Mr Sean McManus, said confidence-building measures relating to security and the release of prisoners were necessary.
"There is growing frustration and worry among nationalists across the Six Counties at the inertia of the British government. There is an understandable expectation that there would have been movement on issues such as political prisoners," he said.
"There is a lot of anger at the high levels of British troops and RUC personnel patrolling nationalist areas. These responses are eroding confidence in the peace process at a time when it needs confidence injected into it."
Dublin sources said they have already stressed to the British government the importance of movement on the prisoners issue in particular.
Meanwhile, talks involving all the political parties continued at Stormont Castle yesterday. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, said he was pleased with their progress. He paid tribute to the talks chairman, Mr George Mitchell.
Mr Andrews described the dialogue as "very focused" and said it could be the starting point for reaching agreement on all the major issues.
He expressed confidence in Sinn Fein's commitment to the peace process and political negotiations.
The Minister condemned the hoax bomb left by the Loyalist Volunteer Force in Dundalk on Monday night but pointed out that the ceasefire by the main loyalist paramilitary groups remained in place.