The Progressive Democrats' Ms Liz O'Donnell has today defended her view that a sense of betrayal and pessimism exists at the lack of progress with decommissioning.
Ms Liz O'Donnell, who was criticised by Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams, said her remarks were not part of a "slanging match" with Sinn Féin.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 this morning, she said: "Many of us are disappointed that there has not been more progress on the disarmament point on a better and more final commitment by the Republican movement to exclusively peaceful means.
"And that has led to the present status of the collapse of the institutions, that David Trimble would not sustain sharing government with republicans while all of this stuff was going on the sides".
The former junior foreign affairs minister said when the Belfast Agreement was signed, she thought it would mean a "decommissioning of the mindset of republicans".
"It wasn't just a bang in the forest," she said. "There was that - there was an objective process of certifiable reality of decommissioning as certified by the decommissioning body.
"We've had that, I accept that. But there was also an understanding . . . a clear consequential feeling that there would be in due course a winding up of paramilitary activity.
"Why do we need an IRA? Do we have to endure the concept of a continuing IRA into the future? What is the purpose of such an organisation?" she asked.
Ms O'Donnell said Sinn Féin had made "historic strides" but that the strides unionists had made should not be underestimated. Her comments this morning follow views expressed to the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin yesterday.