DUP leader Ian Paisley has said that 'upfront delivery' is required from Sinn Féin on the issue of policing before political progress could be made to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland.
Mr Paisley said the British Prime Minister Tony Blair was aware that the DUP was willing to make progress when there was full support for policing.
He said the time for action from Sinn Féin was now.
The comments came after Mr Blair threatened to call off an Assembly election in March unless there was clarity on Sinn Féin's commitment to supporting policing and a DUP undertaking to powersharing.
Mr Blair said he understood that once Sinn Féin delivered on the policing issue, the DUP would support devolution.
The British Prime Minister called on the parties to honour their commitments.
On RTÉ Radio's News At One, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, has also said there is a need for clarity from Sinn Féin and the DUP.
Mr Ahern said that between now and the end of January will be a critical time for Northern Ireland, and that the Government would spare no effort to coax the parties forward.
The Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, has said that the core of a motion he would put to his party's Ard Fheis was accurately summarised in Mr Blair's comments.
Earlier this week Sinn Féin had hinted that it might postpone its Ard Fheis on its policing policy after what it saw as a less-than-positive response from the DUP.
