However, current developments suggest that it might never hit the road again, and may well be on its way to the scrapyard. On the other hand, the IRA was afraid to lose face by making even the most symbolic hand-over of weapons before a Northern Ireland executive could be formed. These irreconcilable positions feed on partial interpretations of last year's Good Friday Agreement, which foresees devolution for and power-sharing in Northern Ireland's newly created assembly. Unionists overlook the fact that the IRA was not necessarily required to decommission its weapons before the formation of an Assembly. Sinn Fein, on the other hand, welcomed the early release of political prisoners, but did not show any eagerness to press the IRA to hand over its arms.
Recent events show the depth of distrust and the strength of hardliners in both parties.
The Unionists doubt the sincerity of paramilitaries, both nationalist Irish Republicans and pro-British Loyalists. The dangers to Northern Ireland's fragile peace are very real. The seizure of 32 high-powered guns sent from the USA to Republicans is a worrying development. Whether they were destined for the IRA is not yet known, and difficult to ascertain given the effects of the cease-fire. On the Loyalist side, the murder of a Catholic man in Belfast shows the ever-present threat of a resurgence of sectarian killing.