A leading pro-Belfast Agreement Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member has warned that if the IRA does not begin decommissioning by the end of this month he will not support the continuation of the devolved administration.
Mr Duncan Shipley-Dalton, perceived as one of the most moderate members of the UUP in terms of finding a compromise on weapons, told the Assembly he did not expect the IRA to "surrender or bend the knee" but he did expect movement on arms by the end of this month.
Ahead of next month's crucial meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council, which must decide whether the UUP remains in the Executive with Sinn Fein, he said his party had "no more room to compromise" on weapons. "I have to indicate that I would be unwilling and unable to support the continuation of the institutions of the Assembly in the event that decommissioning did not occur by the end of January," said Mr Shipley-Dalton
He was the only UUP speaker during a DUP motion demanding that there be no fudge on decommissioning. His comments raised speculation that he was instructed by the North's First Minister to speak on behalf of the party in order to indicate to republicans that even the most liberal of unionists was insisting on IRA decommissioning.
Mr Francie Molloy, Sinn Fein MLA for Mid-Ulster, said that imposing deadlines or ultimatums was not the way to achieve decommissioning. But, interestingly, he said he expected IRA decommissioning to happen, although he did not give any indication when it might start.
"When decommissioning happens it will be a voluntary act," said Mr Molloy. At the time he was reading from a script, suggesting he was conscious of the import of his remarks.
There was considerable rancour during yesterday's main debates on decommissioning and the flying of the Union flag over public buildings. The two DUP motions, which demanded the handing over of all paramilitary weapons and that the Union flag be flown over public buildings on designated days, were supported by the UUP, and were passed.
The DUP MLA for Mid-Ulster, the Rev William McCrea, said it was a "total nonsense" to believe the IRA would voluntarily disarm.
And he was reprimanded by the Speaker, Lord Alderdice, when he added: "Is it now time that McGuinness, Adams and Molloy were arrested for war crimes against the people of Northern Ireland?" Lord Alder dice said he would be examining the Hansard record of the debate to check if Mr McCrea was guilty of unparliamentary language.
Mr Molloy claimed the DUP was directly behind the formation of the loyalist paramilitary grouping, Ulster Resistance.
The DUP Social Development Minister, Mr Nigel Dodds, took questions from Sinn Fein MLA Mr Alex Maskey yesterday, despite the DUP's insistence it would have no dealings with the party.
The Health Minister, Ms Bairbre de Brun, was severely criticised by unionists for allegedly instructing that the Union flag should not fly over departmental buildings during the Christmas period.
Mr Dodds withdrew a DUP motion rejecting the Patten report on the future of policing because there would have been only 30 minutes to debate it. He urged that the motion be placed on the agenda for next Monday's meeting of the Assembly.
