The Sinn Féin leader, Mr Gerry Adams, has insisted that the IRA has agreed not to engage in future criminal activity, while refusing to sign up to a specific wording on this matter sought by the two governments, writes Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent and Dan Keenan in Belfast.
Mr Adams' comments last night came after the Progressive Democrats said that this was the "key issue" for it, and that without the required IRA commitment the PDs would not support any deal.
The North's political parties said yesterday that this was a side issue in the current political deadlock, as efforts continued to resolve the dispute over whether photographs should be taken and published of IRA decommissioning.
Publicly, the Government parties insisted yesterday that they were united in their efforts to secure a deal to restore the North's power-sharing institutions.
But there was deep irritation among Fianna Fáil elements of the Government at the PDs' surprise statement on Thursday night that the IRA had "failed" to sign up to a "no criminality" pledge, and this now presented a major obstacle.
The Taoiseach and British Prime Minister said this week that while several issues remain unresolved, the dispute over whether photographs of IRA decommissioning should published is the only issue causing difficulties.
However the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, yesterday continued to focus on the criminality issue. Speaking to reporters he reiterated his party's demand that the IRA commit itself to a specific statement that it "recognised the need to uphold and not to endanger anyone's personal rights and safety".
A party source stated on Thursday that if this was not signed up to, the release of the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe - which is highly unpopular among PD members and voters - is off the table.
An IRA statement issued on Thursday outlining what it would sign up to in the event of a deal left out the pledge "not to endanger anyone's personal rights and safety" that was sought by the two governments. It did say that all IRA members had been given "specific instructions not to engage in any activity which might thereby endanger the new agreement". Mr Adams insisted last night that this meant the same thing.
While making demands yesterday on the IRA to sign up to the extra form of words, Mr McDowell did not say the organisation had actually refused to do so. "They haven't done so yet", he said. "I don't know if it is reluctance or if it is a timing issue." He said this undertaking had been under ongoing discussion and had not been the subject of "explicit agreement".
The North's political parties were surprised yesterday at the PDs' injection of this issue into the public discussion.
The DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, said that the key issue was "the modalities of decommissioning" rather than criminality. He said he was unaware of any suggestion that the IRA was refusing to sign up to a commitment not to engage in criminality. The UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, also said it was unclear as to whether the IRA had refused to do so.
Sinn Féin negotiator Mr Gerry Kelly accused the PDs of "politicking of the worst kind".
Mr McDowell and the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, separately said yesterday that there was no division between the Government parties on this matter. A spokeswoman for the Taoiseach said the Government was united behind the effort to reach a deal.
Mr McDowell also told reporters yesterday that there was "nothing of substance" in the deal that had not now emerged into the public domain. "Not every scrap of detail is there or thereabouts, but there is nothing of substance. People have the gist of the agreement now."