British Prime Minister Tony Blair will today hold his first meeting with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams since the IRA’s declaration that it is ending its armed campaign.

The return of the Northern Ireland Assembly could be delayed by two years, the DUP has warned.

The IRA tonight faced new demands to begin its promised disarmament amid a developing security scaledown in the North.

The newly appointed US Ambassador to Britain today called on the IRA to back up its historic statement with actions.

UUP MEP Jim Nicholson has said the reaction of the Secretary of State and the Government to the recent IRA statement can only be described as an "act of outstanding stupidity".

The newly appointed US ambassador to Britain today called on the IRA to back up its historic statement with actions.

Work to dismantle one of the most infamous army watchtowers in Northern Ireland will get under way today.

The Democratic Unionist Party today warned the British government it would pay a high price for its programme of demilitarisation in Northern Ireland.

A Government move to allow Northern Ireland MPs and MEPs to debate in the Dáil would be a welcome recognition of the rights of Irish citizens north of the border, Sinn Féin claimed today.

Unionists have reacted angrily to the demilitarisation that has been taking place over the last few days in the North.

The Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment are to disappear from Northern Ireland under the British government’s demilitarisation plans, it was confirmed today.

Sinn Féin was today urged to play its full part in policing in the wake of the British government’s demilitarisation plans for Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach has welcomed the Pope's good wishes for the Northern peace process following Thursday's IRA statement that its armed struggle is over.

Pope Benedict XVI today hailed the IRA’s decision to disarm as “beautiful news” and urged all to work for lasting peace.

The testing period for the IRA to prove its statement is for real will be extended if there is a lack of transparency around the disarmament process, republicans were told today.

The Irish and British governments are throwing concessions at Sinn Féin on the back of an IRA statement which has failed to answer basic questions, it was claimed today.

Sinn Féin has welcomed the swift decision of army chiefs to start the process of tearing down military watchtowers in south Armagh.

President George W Bush phoned Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams today to urge him to follow through with action after the Irish Republican Army disarmament decision.

The IRA should not be allowed to “privatise” criminality in the wake of yesterday’s statement to end its armed struggle, it was claimed today.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has expressed regret for the grief caused to the families of all those who died during the Troubles in the North.

Gerry Adams today urged loyalist paramilitaries to follow the IRA and ditch their guns.

Unionists have reacted furiously to the decision to close an army watchtower in south Armagh.

Moves to tear down a British Army watchtower will begin today after the IRA’s pledge to ditch guns and end its terror campaign.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is due to meet an SDLP delegation in Dublin today to discuss the latest developments in the peace process.

The main players in the Irish peace process have all vowed to wait for actions on the ground before passing final judgement on the IRA's declaration that its armed struggle is over.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain is poised to call new talks with the North's political leaders in a bid to restore devolution after the IRA declared an end to its armed campaign.

The Provisional IRA emerged from the back streets of Belfast and Derry to become one of the most effective and ruthless killing machines in post-war Europe.

Loyalists today greeted the IRA’s statement with suspicion and expressed concern over the motives behind the historic announcement.

Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness has hailed the IRA’s announcement on the cessation of its armed campaign and claimed it was a decisive initiative.

Sinn Féin is ready to open talks with Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party about a resumption of power-sharing in the North following the “momentous” decision by the IRA to put away its guns, it was claimed tonight.

A father whose son was killed by the Omagh bomb tonight called on Sinn Féin to fully cooperate with investigations into the atrocity.

Spanish politicians tonight greeted the IRA’s announcement that it was laying down arms and expressed hope that the move would encourage the armed Basque group Eta to do likewise.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has heralded today’s IRA statement as ‘unprecedented’.

The IRA decision to lay down its arms represents a courageous and confident initiative and is a momentous defining point in the search for lasting peace with justice, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said today.

The IRA is still an illegal organisation and must fully disband and hand over its criminal assets, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said today.

President Mary McAleese has said she hoped today's historic announcement by the IRA to dump its arms would "help secure the long-term peaceful co-existence of this and all future generations of people across the entire country".

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair today issued a joint statement welcoming the IRA’s declaration that its armed struggle is over.

The IRA’s pledge to abandon its armed campaign was hailed a dramatic step forward today by senior Irish American figures.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern says today's IRA statement can herald a new era for all of the people on the island of Ireland.

Fine Gael has said the statement issued by the IRA had the potential to repair damage done to the peace process.

Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has said that today’s IRA statement must mean an end to the organisation’s 35-year campaign of violence.

Tony Blair today welcomed the IRA's order to disarm and end all military activity, saying: "This may be the day when finally after all the false dawns and dashed hope, peace replaces war, politics replaces terror on the island of Ireland.''

Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern has said he will reserve judgement on the IRA's decision to end its armed struggle until he sees what effect it has on the ground.

Vice-chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board Denis Bradley has said he was looking for a positive response from the Unionist community to today's statement by the IRA to dump arms and cease activities.