Paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland continues to fall, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said following the publication of the latest report from the Independent Monitoring Commission.
Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Ahern highlighted the IMC's warning that a number of paramilitary organisations, including the IRA, have continued to recruit new members and purchase new weaponry.
"There is no evidence of paramilitary groups ceasing their activities. All those issues are factual," Mr Ahern told Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
However, he said most people in the North were "getting on with life".
The IMC's report, which had been delayed because of the British election, showed that continuing paramilitary activity continued to place "an unacceptable burden on ordinary people".
The IRA must respond definitively when it replies to the call made by Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams in early April when he urged members to follow a political rather than a violent path.
"The outcome must be a clear and decisive end to paramilitarism and criminality, and the completion of decommissioning.
"If that happens, both governments will expect unionists to fully accept partnership politics and the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement, including an inclusive Northern Ireland executive and North-South co-operation," he said.
Meanwhile, the Fine Gael leader said that continuation of Provisional IRA paramilitary and criminal activity was the only real obstacle to political progress in Northern Ireland.
The IMC report, he said, "does not paint a picture of an organisation that is seriously contemplating folding its tent, as Sinn Féin claims the IRA is.
"In fact, the IMC report details a very serious level of paramilitary activity on this island and confirms the hypocritical approach of Sinn Féin and its paramilitary wing to peace negotiations with the two governments".
Nevertheless, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern chose to emphasise the fall in the number of paramilitary shootings, down 45 per cent on last year, although the number of republican attacks had fallen further that those orchestrated by loyalist organisations.
Despite its negative findings, the Minister said, the IMC report "quite clearly shows that there are some positive elements in that there is a sustained downward trend in paramilitary violence.
"But obviously the key question still remains. This is highlighted by the report that there is ongoing recruiting and training by the IRA, which raises the question as to what the IRA's intentions are," Mr Ahern said.
