The Government is confident that the complete cessation declared by the "Real IRA" will remain intact and the organisation will abide by the decision. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said yesterday that intelligence reports suggested the cessation, called from midnight on Monday, was "final and complete". The new anti-paramilitary legislation and public outrage at the Omagh bombing had forced the group into declaring a ceasefire, he said.
"I am told that it is final; it is complete and that the cessation would stand because they pulled all their people together. Of course, from my position, the only thing that will convince me of that is to watch it over a period. Hopefully, the so-called `Real IRA' will disband and the sooner the better," Mr Ahern said.
Meanwhile, a statement last night from the 32-County Sovereignty Movement, the political group which denies links to the "Real IRA", said the "conscientious announcement by Oglaigh na hEireann" was welcome.
On RTE's News At One, the Taoiseach also indicated that, in the event of a total cessation of paramilitary activity, the measures signed into law last week would ultimately only be used against the Omagh bombers and in other "ongoing investigations".
There was still some way to go before arriving at a situation where all the paramilitary organisations had ceased their campaigns of violence. But if this were to be achieved, it would not be necessary to "move on people who were associated with organisations", the Taoiseach said.
But the authorities would continue relentlessly to track down the perpetrators of the Omagh bomb "and other crimes this summer", he warned. The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, said the ceasefire announcement was good news "insofar as any group decides not to plant bombs". But it had come far too late, and the concessions emanating from the Belfast Agreement would not apply to the Omagh bombers. "No deal has been done with this group, no deal will be done with this group," she said.
Meanwhile, the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, welcomed the cessation, adding that it should not deflect both governments from pursuing "callous murderers of 29 people at Omagh three weeks ago".
The Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, responded cautiously, saying the removal of the gun from Irish politics was a critical element of the peace process.
If the activities of those involved in the "Real IRA" confirmed the abandonment of violence it would be a positive development. But those responsible for "heinous crimes" committed by the "Real IRA" must be brought before the courts so justice could be done, he said.
Democratic Left's justice spokeswoman, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said the cessation statement might be based on a tactical response to the new legislation rather than on a belief that the group's aims should be pursued by peaceful and democratic means.