Deputy leader's address: The inability of republicans to give up their "multi-million pound criminal empire" is the reason the political process in the North remains stalled, Peter Robinson told the party's annual conference.
The DUP deputy leader said last week's Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) findings that the IRA was still engaged in criminality and intelligence-gathering and the reports of the organisation retaining weapons demonstrated that it would take a long time before republicans were "democratised".
"Democracy cannot tolerate a situation where criminality is institutionalised at the heart of the state, and that is exactly what would be done if we were to permit an organisation like Sinn Féin, which is still seamlessly linked to paramilitary and criminal activity, into government. It will not happen.
"But in truth I do not need to argue the case that Sinn Féin has not passed the entry test. Ahern has pronounced upon their fitness for government. He says he would not countenance having them in government in the Republic.
"You can be certain that neither Tony Blair nor George Bush would consider sharing power with the Provos for a second. Let me give them a clear message: don't ask us to do something you would not do yourselves."
Mr Robinson said IRA fingers could not be prised from weapons. "Without there being even a single IMC report suggesting the IRA has given up its illegal activities, it is simply preposterous and outrageous to expect unionists to move."
He said the SDLP, Sinn Féin and others who insisted on the implementation of the Belfast Agreement were living in a fantasy land.
"What is it about the word 'agreement' they don't understand. Read my lips - the Belfast Agreement is dead."
He said the DUP's proposal of a phased-in approach to devolution should be adopted. This would allow a limited assembly to operate at Stormont "while the issue of IRA criminal activity is dealt with once and for all and completely".
"If republicans genuinely want to end criminality, and the government genuinely wants to ensure that they do, then the system we advocate will hold no fears for anyone."
