Murphy: New statement needed

The IRA has announced that it is to release the statement handed to the British and Irish governments last month.

The move comes after the prime minister announced a further delay in elections to the devolved assembly after the IRA's failure to give an assurance that it will renounce violence for good.

The document, delivered to Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern on April 13, will be released early this week.

Sinn Fein has insisted that the IRA has answered all the questions posed by both the British and Irish government.

Gerry Adams claims republicans have bent over backwards to give assurances without securing similar commitments on so-called "normalisation issues".

But London says the document and a series of subsequent clarifications have failed to state that the IRA will end all paramilitary activity once and for all.

The IRA statement will be released once insiders are briefed on its content.

"The IRA leadership has authorised the release of their statement that was given to the two governments on April 13. First and foremost the statement must be shown to all IRA volunteers," said the paramilitary group.

"Upon completion of this process the statement will be released to the public."

The Northern Ireland secretary has warned that the IRA must release a new statement before the elections to the devolved assembly can go ahead.

"We do need that because without it there is no question in my view that we will not be able to move in the way that we want to," he said.

Paul Murphy denied that the government was laying down new conditions to republicans.

"This goes back to October of last year when the prime minister, and indeed the Taoiseach as well, both said that we have come to this fork in the road, that we have to ensure there is an end now to paramilitarism and paramilitary activity," he said.