Political leaders from both sides of the Border have joined together to denounce recent threats from the Real IRA. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness took a strong and united position against any renewal of conflict in Northern Ireland.
Speaking ahead of a plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in Dundalk, Co Louth, Mr Ahern said: "The message today is that we ask not only our security forces but all the people to co-operate in this."
He added: "Obviously they are a small group but you only need a small group to create trouble. We know that from around the world. We just have to be vigilant and careful."
Saying that he was personally under threat from dissident republicans, Dr Paisley said: "There is a shadow on our conference today because of what is happening in the security situation." The DUP leader added: "I would make an appeal to all decent people in both parts of this island to dedicate themselves to the rejection of a desire to go back to the bad old ways."
In relation to his own position, he said: "You're looking at one that's under threat, but I always say that threatened people live long. I am not so worried about the threats, I am worried about when you don't get the threats."
In a strong denunciation of the dissidents, Mr McGuinness said: "There are still people within our society who believe that violence is the way forward. Well, my message to them is that it is they who believe that are no-hopers. They are people who are going nowhere."
He continued: "What is the strategy of these people, particularly if they are so-called republicans, who wish to go back to the use of violence? What they are saying is very clear to me - they want the British army to come back, they want to see huge numbers of British soldiers on the streets of Belfast and Derry."
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said: "Those people don't represent anybody. They don't have an agenda for anyone. It is just a nihilist, anarchist approach to 21st century Ireland."
The Cabinet and the Northern Ireland Executive were strongly represented at the sixth plenary meeting of the NSMC which took place at Dundalk Institute of Technology. The council noted a report on key developments in the NSMC through the 13 ministerial-level meetings held since the last plenary in July 2007.
The plenary also endorsed the progress made towards developing the A5 (North West Gateway to Aughnacloy) and A8 (Belfast to Larne) road projects and welcomed progress on the Narrow Water Bridge proposal.
It welcomed agreement on the modalities for taking forward the reopening of a stretch of the Ulster Canal between Clones and Upper Lough Erne and looked forward to the early assessment of options for the future development of the Dublin/Belfast Enterprise rail service, especially in relation to increased service frequency and reduced travel times.
It requested the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in the North and the Office of the Minister for Children in Dublin to establish and co-chair a cross-Border group of officials from relevant departments to intensify co-operation on child protection.
Asked about media criticism of the fact that, in Dr Paisley's capacity as a Westminster MP, he was employing his son, Ian jnr, as a researcher when the latter was also a junior minister at Stormont, Dr Paisley said he had no comment but pointed out that this arrangement had been known about for years.
