Adams calls for 'speedy' political progress

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has today urged political leaders to make a conscious effort to keep up the momentum initiated by the IRA's historic decommissioning gesture last year.

"All parties have a public duty to work together in 2006 to restore power to Northern Ireland's political institutions," Mr Adams said today.

He continued; "Now is the time for all those who are genuinely interested

in seeing the power sharing government in the north restored and the peace

process advanced to show leadership and make a real and genuine effort to

end the political vacuum."

Mr Adams proceeded to praise the IRA for their decision to decommission arms last July and claimed the paramilitary organisation had addressed the concerns outlined by unionist leaders.

He added: "As the months have passed it is easy to lose sight of the enormity of what took place and the opportunity that it has opened up. But I would ask people to look to 2006 with hope and confidence that progress can be made. Now is the time for those in political leadership to do our job."

Mentioning the 'Stormontgate Scandal' the Sinn Fein President condemned those who he said were "working against progress."

He added: "There needs to be a collective effort made to see the political institutions up and running and the other outstanding aspects of the Agreement implemented.

"And as part of this we need to see an immediate end to the activities of those elements in Britain's Intelligence Agencies who are working day and night to prevent progress.

"Sinn Fein is determined that the opportunities presented by the IRA initiative are not squandered.

"There still are major challenges ahead particularly for both the British government and the unionist parties."

Mr Adams said that the process had been allowed to "stall" for too long and the time for movement had come.

(EF/SP)