The latest report from the Independent Monitoring Commission has said the IRA appears to be sticking to its promise to engage in the democratic process through exclusively peaceful means.
The seventh report from the IMC describes the statement from the IRA on 28 July last as potentially very significant.
The commission says that although it is too early to make more than a rather limited assessment as to the statement's effect, initial signs are encouraging.
The report says shooting casualties by republican groups are down by 43% compared with the previous six months, and assault casualties are down by 40%.
Of the one shooting and 10 assault casualties for which the IMC believes the Provisional IRA was responsible, all but one assault were before the 28 July statement.
The IMC said there was no evidence of the IRA recruiting or training members in the weeks following the statement.
Loyalist violence
The report states that loyalist groups are responsible for much more violence than republican ones, and by an even greater margin than in the previous six months.
The paramilitary murders are exclusively loyalist and the rate is the highest since March-August 2003.
Shooting casualties caused by loyalists are nearly the same as in the preceding six-month period, while assault casualties are up by 38%.
The Irish and British governments had previously received the document and have been studying its contents.
The Northern Secretary, Peter Hain, has restored Sinn Féin assembly allowances with effect from 1 November. He will also recommend that the suspension of allowances to Sinn Féin MPs, which took effect on 1 April this year, also be removed.
Taoiseach welcomes report
Responding to the IMC report, the Taoiseach has said the initial signs following the IRA statement are encouraging and important, and are to be welcomed.
However, in a statement, Bertie Ahern said it was too early to make a final assessment, and that the IMC report in January will be vital.
In the meantime, he said it is important to keep the restoration of the institutions in focus as a real and viable possibility. He said the pace of engagement on the issues needs to be stepped up ahead of the re-establishment of devolved institutions next year.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, also welcomed the IMC report and said he expected real political engagement with the parties in Northern Ireland if the January report from the IMC proved to be positive.
