Northern parties believe the discovery of a dissident republican bomb in Co Carlow highlights the threat posed to efforts to restore the Stormont institutions.
The Army said yesterday the device consisted of a hollowed-out gas cylinder packed with improvised explosives. It was made safe early yesterday.
"There was a tube coming from it which indicated it was primed for detonation. It indicated it was ready to use in the near future." The find follows a warning on Friday by the PSNI chief constable that dissident elements would do everything possible to disrupt the political process in the run up to the November 24th deadline for agreement on powersharing at Stormont. Sir Hugh Orde said republicans opposed to Sinn Féin and the Belfast Agreement are "trying to show their hand" and are "looking to up their profile".
He told the Belfast Telegraph: "They are a big risk at the moment. We've a lot of effort going in [ to stop them]."
Referring to ongoing political efforts involving the DUP and Sinn Féin to reach agreement on sharing power in a Stormont executive, he added that dissidents were "going to do whatever they can to make the thing difficult".
"They are dangerous. They are determined to ruin the process," he said, adding: "I'm very concerned." Sir Hugh has regularly commented on the level of dissident threat, usually insisting that the PSNI and Garda are capable of frustrating attempts to derail the political process.
Recent reports by the Independent Monitoring Commission, the British and Irish governments' paramilitary watchdog, support the view that both the Real IRA and Continuity IRA are active, committed and trying to procure weapons and members.
Nationalists and unionists welcomed the discovery of the bomb and warned that dissidents will do anything to frustrate the political process. SDLP deputy leader Alasdair McDonnell said: "It is fairly clear to most of us [ that] both IRA dissidents, Real IRA or Continuity, are determined to create as much havoc as possible in the run up to November 24th and in the run up to Christmas.
"It is unfortunate these crazy people feel . . . they are furthering the interests of the Irish people by creating havoc and disruption.
"We have had enough havoc over the last 40 years to last forever. What we have got to do now is move on politically and economically."
He called on police on both sides of the Border to "ruthlessly confront any disruptive activity".
Ulster Unionist deputy leader Danny Kennedy agreed: "The find in itself is very welcome and obviously anything that will prevent serious harm to property or any risk to lives in Northern Ireland is to be welcomed. It points to a level of threat which appears to be increasing either from the Real IRA or the Continuity IRA."
Sinn Féin, which has repeatedly dismissed dissident republicans as "micro-groups", called on them to halt all activity.
The Real IRA mounted an extensive campaign in August, destroying large stores in Newry, Co Down, targeting the Belfast-Dublin railway and leaving an improvised bomb at a house being built for Lord [ Eddie] Haughey at Hackballscross, Co Louth. At the time Sir Hugh said dissidents were "people stuck in the past". He said: "We will take them out of circulation but it is also up to the community to take steps to ensure their young people are not recruited."