The British and Irish governments have drawn some encouragement from the comments of Sinn Féin leaders during the weekend ardfheis. However, they insist that the IRA must end all activity if the political impasse is to end.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday he was still prepared to meet Sinn Féin, while Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have engaged in a number of recent meetings with British prime minister Tony Blair's chief of staff Jonathan Powell.
Nothing specific emerged from the Sinn Féin conference in terms of any IRA commitment to decommission and cease all paramilitary and criminal actions, which the governments view as the key to ending the deadlock.
Nonetheless, the governments viewed as positive the comments by senior Sinn Féin figures on crucial issues such as the murder of Robert McCartney, IRA activity in general and policing.
The PSNI press office said yesterday it had no developments to report on the investigation into the killing of Mr McCartney. The McCartney family are this week expected to be invited to attend President Bush's St Patrick's Day White House reception.
In expressing his support for the McCartney sisters at the weekend ardfheis, Mr Adams repeatedly said that republicanism must not be tarnished with allegations of criminality. He also indicated that republicans may have to make hard decisions on the future of the IRA.
On Sunday Sinn Féin's policing spokesman Gerry Kelly advised republicans that sometime in the future they may have to make hard choices on whether or not to endorse the PSNI.
Mr Ahern said yesterday that he was "not an inch" wiser on whether the IRA would end all activity but nonetheless he was still prepared to hold discussions with Sinn Féin on this issue.
A Government source said that there were some encouraging comments from senior Sinn Féin figures at the weekend but what was crucial, as Mr Ahern said recently in the Dáil, was whether those words would be backed by actions.
British prime minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said Sinn Féin was now addressing the key issues but that political progress could only be made if the IRA ended paramilitarism and criminality.
Mr Blair's spokesman said a variety of speakers at the ardfheis had indicated, whether it was "the McCartney murder or criminality in general or punishment beatings or policing or the position of the Irish Government", that Sinn Féin had "at least begun to address the concerns".
Despite the current logjam, Mr Blair has not given up on the possibility of resurrecting December's failed deal, a fact highlighted by his chief of staff Jonathan Powell who held a number of recent meetings in Belfast and London with Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness.
The spokesman said the issues raised at the ardfheis would be "explored in further contacts with Sinn Féin".
"But the bottom line remains the same: that there can only be progress with Sinn Féin and republicans if there is an end to activity. But at least the ardfheis showed they are in the process of addressing those issues," he added.
"Now in terms of the specific issue of the McCartney family, the McCartney family said after the Gerry Adams speech that they were encouraged by what he said but they want to see progress on the ground. As always, the McCartney family have shown real leadership in terms of trying to get this issue addressed," the spokesman said.
Mr Adams said yesterday, while canvassing in the Meath byelection, that the key to bringing fresh impetus to the peace process rested on "constructive engagement".
"Republicans are willing to play our part as I outlined at the weekend, but there is an equally heavy responsibility on the Irish Government to act. The Taoiseach needs to examine the impact of recent comments by Government Ministers on the process. He needs to be working with us to develop a strategy back to talks," he said.
