Controversial comments by Father Alec Reid comparing unionists in the North to the Nazis were said in the heat of the moment, his fellow witness to IRA disarmament claimed today.

The priest who witnessed IRA decommissioning provoked fury after he compared the unionist community to Nazis for their treatment of Catholics in the North.

One of the independent church witnesses to IRA decommissioning tonight compared the unionist community to Nazis for their treatment of Catholics in Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach and British Prime Minister held talks this afternoon for the first time since the IRA decommissioned its arsenal.

Sinn Féin must decide if they support the law or crime as they deliberate over policing in Northern Ireland, the leader of the SDLP claimed today.

The IRA’s future plans will dominate discussions when Bertie Ahern meets Tony Blair today.

The Independent Monitoring Commission is due to release a new report on the IRA next week.

The Taoiseach has dismissed weekend reports that the IRA kept a batch of guns for defence purposes.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has said that all the security information he has received suggests Republicans are disassociating themselves from crime.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams today called on the British and Irish Governments to move quickly to restore power-sharing in the wake of IRA decommissioning.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has said he is awaiting a report from the Independent Monitoring Commission before making up his mind on the IRA's future intentions.

The Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party today had talks with the clergymen whose witnessing of IRA arms decommissioning they have questioned.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain will tell Britain's Labour Party conference today that restoring devolution to the North remains his “over arching-goal”.

DUP leader Ian Paisley has reiterated his scepticism about the destruction of IRA arms after meeting with the head of the decommissioning body today.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has said he understands unionist scepticism about the completion of IRA decommissioning.

The US politician who helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement urged all parties in the North today to move forward following the IRA decommissioning.

The Democratic Unionist Party is due to meet the head of the decommissioning body today to discuss the completion of IRA disarmament.

Senior members of the Sinn Féin leadership are fanning out across the country and beyond today to push home the significance of the IRA's decommissioning move.

Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness has hailed the significance of IRA decommissioning.

The act of decommissioning by the IRA has finally taken the gun out of Irish politics, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

Q – Just how vast was the quantity of arms and explosives decommissioned by the IRA.

Democratic Unionist Party leader the Reverend Ian Paisley said there had been no transparent verification of IRA decommissioning in today's announcement.

There was little doubt in the IRA heartland of South Armagh that the terror group’s war with Britain had finally ended.

President Mary McAleese has said today's IICD statement will remove a major obstacle to the search for a lasting and peaceful solution to the problems which have beset Northern Ireland for so long.

No drinks were on the house in true blue Sandy Row today.

An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today was a momentous day for the people of Ireland, north and south.

Democratic Unionist Party MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he remained to be convinced about IRA disarmament.

Today’s statement on the decommissioning of IRA arms has been warmly welcomed by Tony Blair.

A statement released by the IRA in the aftermath of confirmation of its arms decommissioning read:

General John de Chastelain was told: "Yes, this is everything" when he asked the IRA whether all their arms had been put beyong use.

General John de Chastelian has described IRA decommissioning as "an important milestone towards the completion of (the international decommissioning body's) task to achieve decommissioning by all paramilitary groups".

Head of the international decommissioning commission General John de Chastelain has said that no one on the commission could force anyone to believe their announcement that the IRA had puts its weapons beyond use.

The IRA's decommissioned arms included ammunition, rifles, machine guns, mortars, missiles, handguns, explosives and explosive substances, General John de Chastelain has said.

Methodist minister Harold Good has has said he is "certain, totally certain" that the IRA has disarmed.

General John de Chastelain has said the IRA has disarmed "the totality of its arsenal".

General John de Chastelain and the other witnesses to the IRA's disarmaent have arrived at the press conference to make statements on the decommissioning.

Details of the IRA’s final act of disarmament are being studied by the Irish and British governments today.

The IRA has destroyed all the weapons used to run its campaign in the North for more than 30 years, the world will be told today.

The IRA must give a clear and decisive response to calls from Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams to embrace politics, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

Loyalists have no justification for failing to move on the disarmament issue, a nationalist minister in the Northern Ireland Executive claimed today.

Sinn Fein has denied that the IRA's move on decommissioning today was a stunt to improve its chances at the forthcoming general election in the Republic.

The Fine Gael leader Michael Noonan has welcomed the IRA move on decommissioning.

Hardline unionists have dismissed the IRA’s latest act of decommissioning as "a stunt". Peter Robinson, deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, said:

The IRA has decommissioned more of its extensive cache of weapons, according to a statement released by the republican group today.