Relatives of those killed and secretly buried by the IRA have expressed anger at the Provisionals' refusal to reveal the location of their victims' graves until they are given an amnesty in relation to the killings.
The families have accused the Provisionals of using the bodies of their loved ones as pawns. They have also urged the British government to legislate that any evidence found when the bodies are uncovered will not be used for prosecution purposes.
Legislation guaranteeing an amnesty is expected to be brought before the Dail within a fortnight. However, the British government has said it wants to hold discussions with Dublin before making any decision.
After years of denials, the Provisionals admitted a fortnight ago that they had abducted, killed and secretly buried nine people. They promised to reveal the location of the bodies as soon as possible.
However, the Families of the Disappeared said the Provisionals have since told them they will not disclose the information until they are guaranteed an amnesty.
Ms Helen McKendry, whose mother Jean McConville disappeared in 1972, said: "I am really, really angry with the IRA. I thought when they made their statement a fortnight ago, all our suffering was over. They raised our hopes, knowing full well they had no immediate intention of delivering the bodies."
She said the Provisionals' initial statement was simply an attempt to get them off the hook on decommissioning. Ms McKendry's husband Seamus, who runs Families of the Disappeared, said: "The IRA isn't happy with putting the knife in, they want to twist it as well. If they knew there were problems about an amnesty, why did they make a public statement a fortnight ago promising us we would get the bodies?"
Ms Margaret McKinney, whose son Brian was abducted in 1978, said: "The IRA shouldn't have done this. We thought at last we would be able to bring Brian home. "All we can do now is urge the British government to introduce this amnesty law."
Ms Mary McClory, whose son John also went missing in 1978, said: "I thought this was finally the end to my nightmare. The IRA shouldn't have raised my hopes if it wasn't ready to end the misery."