The Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, has said republicans need to be prepared to remove the IRA as part of the peace process.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Mr Adams said unionist politicians were exploiting what he said were justifiable unionist fears about the IRA.
He said that republicans should be prepared to remove what he called this excuse.
Mr Adams said he did not think the IRA would necessarily like this but stressed that this could only happen if there was an ongoing process of sustainable change in the North.
