Hopes of a devolved government in the North by March 26th have been boosted today after DUP leader Rev Ian Paisley claimed that failure to establish a power sharing executive would be the fault of Sinn Féin alone.
Mr Paisley's remarks have been taken as a signal that the DUP is prepared to enter into power sharing administration with Sinn Féin if it publicly endorses the PSNI.
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain welcomed the comments while warning that there was only one date for the restoration of devolution - March 26th - and it would not be pushed back.
In a letter to community party leaders, Mr Hain stressed: "There is only one chance to get devolution up and running and that is March 26th.
"Everyone involved needs to understand that."
Mr Hain's reminder came two days after Sinn Féin's 56-member national executive approved plans for a special party conference in Dublin on January 28th involving 2,000 members to consider supporting the police in Northern Ireland for the first time in republican history.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is now preparing to embark on a series of potentially fractious public meetings to try to convince rank and file republicans that now is the time to support the PSNI.
After persuading Saturday's Sinn Féin ardchomhairle that the party should press ahead with an ardfheis on policing on Sunday week, Mr Adams must in the coming two weeks convince the "republican base" to endorse the PSNI.
Republican support for the PSNI is vital to the plans of both the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair for power sharing.
Mr Paisley today made it clear that his party expected Sinn Féin to demonstrate on the ground its support for the police, the courts and the rule of law if there was to be devolved government.
"If a government cannot be formed on March 26th because Sinn Féin fails to deliver it will be clear Sinn Féin alone is to blame," the North Antrim MP said.
Mr Blair's official spokesman said today: "Dr Paisley's comments put alongside the outcome of the Sinn Féin ard chomhairle at the weekend confirmed the prime minister in his view that it is possible to arrive at the situation where we will have full support for the police and the power sharing by March 26th."
In his letter to party leaders, Mr Hain reminded them that the Transitional Assembly at Stormont was due to dissolve on January 30th in anticipation of an election on March 7th.
However, if the election did not take place, the Assembly would be wound down for good.
Stormont would close down with the current 108 Assembly members' salaries and allowances immediately withdrawn, he said.
The Government would also implement the ban on academic selection as well as repeal changes introduced under the St Andrew's Act relating to the ministerial code, the pledge of office and the arrangement for appointing First and Deputy Ministers.