The IRA has acknowledged Wednesday's appeal to it by Gerry Adams to abandon violence and commit itself to political and democratic means.
A statement yesterday from the IRA, signed by P O'Neill, said it would consider the Sinn Féin president's appeal and respond full in time.
The brief statement said: "The leadership of the IRA was given notice of the appeal by Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. We have noted his comments. The IRA will give his appeal due consideration and will respond in due course."
Mr Adams, speaking yesterday in west Belfast, welcomed the initial reaction.
"I didn't say what I said to fail. I said what I said so let's give it our best effort once again," he said. "Hopefully let's give this a fair wind in support of what we are trying to do."
He insisted his decision to make such a significant public appeal to the IRA on Wednesday was motivated by his desire to provide leadership at a low point for the peace process.
"The atmosphere was getting poisonous for the last few months," he said. "If things remained where they were, things were going to get more and more poisonous."
He repeated - for those sceptical of Sinn Féin's motives - to give his initiative a "fair wind" and admitted that some in the IRA and wider republican movement were "shocked" at what he had done.
"I thought long and hard about it," he said. "It was aimed at leapfrogging over the difficulties. It was aimed at clearing the decks. It was an attempt to create conditions where there can be proper engagement," he said.
Speaking in Conway Mill in the lower Falls area, Mr Adams said the locality had been devastated in the early Troubles. Many there saw the IRA as defenders and consequently may find it difficult to accept their removal from the scene. He said he drafted his statement mindful that his remarks were aimed at "not just republicans, but specific republicans - the IRA and its support base".
He also accepted there was a personal risk involved and that he could not "unsay" what he had said to the IRA.
"I used language that I believed in," he said, which was consistent throughout the peace process.
Mr Adams insisted the initiative was not linked to the May 5th Westminster election, adding that neither the election nor the Pope's death had been announced before he decided to act. "This is about leadership. It is about trying to give leadership in difficult circumstances. The thinking had nothing to do with elections."
Referring to Sinn Féin's strained relations with the Government, Mr Adams said he wished to deal with Mr Ahern but on the basis of respect. Matters could not be dealt with "on any other basis than as equals", he said.
He was speaking as the PSNI issued its latest assessment of IRA capability.
Asst Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid said renewed IRA violence was unlikely but that the organisation was in a state of readiness.
"They could, if they wanted to, mount a terrorist operation which would be in breach of their ceasefire," he said.
"We continue to assess that such a move is unlikely and remains a last resort. They continue to conduct various other criminal enterprises including robberies and various types of civil administration."
Chief Constable Hugh Orde would not be drawn on political questions on Mr Adams's appeal to the IRA.
"We will wait and see and we will see where that takes us," he said.