Peace process: Belfast street view

People give their views in Belfast city centre

The Northern Ireland Assembly is facing a crisis. The pro-Agreement political parties have been given a package of proposals aimed at breaking the deadlock.

BBC News Online's Jane Bardon asked people in Belfast for their views on the current situation in the process and what the next move should be.

When you ask people walking through Belfast city centre about their opinions on the peace process, their first response is always the same.

Despite their differing views on the latest developments, their frowns reflect the same frustration. For many the issue is a total turn-off.

David Smith from Belfast said he felt the peace process had stalled "and I can't see it going anywhere".

"I voted Yes for the Agreement in the referendum, but I wouldn't do it again," he said.

David Smith: "Time for IRA to disarm"

"They need to get the guns off the IRA. It is important that the IRA decommission first and the loyalists should then follow suit."

He added: "Maybe the only thing to do is to get the old hands out and get people voting for new younger parties."

John Wilson from south Belfast said the Northern Ireland Assembly should be dissolved.

John Wilson: "Dissolve assembly"

The IRA was not going to disarm, he said, and the politicians had not changed the situation.

He said there would "never be peace". But he added: "A lot of people do get on both sides. There are only a small proportion of nutters."

Thomas Magee from Belfast said Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble had wasted the opportunity offered by the latest report from the arms decommissioning commission which said the IRA had agreed a method of putting weapons beyond use.

Tom Burns: "Too much focus on IRA arms"

"The arms commission said it would have fitted in with the decommissioning requirements. The unionists and loyalists are just wasting their time with their petty requests," he said.

Tom Burns from Belfast said David Trimble was wrong to base "everything on IRA decommissioning".

He added he would be concerned if the assembly collapsed.

Mrs McIlroy: "Politicians just looking for attention"

"It is a good tool of government," he said, "but people need to get down to brass tacks and start focussing on issues like health and education."

However, Mrs McIlroy from Belfast said she thought: "Blair should come back over here and sort it out again".

"All our politicians want is attention and they get too much of it," she said.

Catherine Arkinson: "Deadlines don't work"

Catherine Arkinson from Tyrone, a student in Belfast, said the attempts to keep the parties and paramilitaries to deadlines would not work.

"When it comes to something as important as the peace process, having a deadline for decommissioning won't get us anywhere," she said.

Caroline McCormick and Michaela Hamill: "More effort needed"

Caroline McCormick and Michaela Hamill, who own a business in Belfast, said they wanted the politicians to make more efforts to stabilise the peace process.

"Both sides are as bad. There is too much talking and not enough progress as a result.

"The general public don't want the violence and it stops people coming into the town."

'Brinkmanship'

A Dungannon man, who did not want to be named, said: "There is too much brinkmanship. Someone is going to have to take a leap of faith.

"If the local politicians don't get down to it, someone else will, and it will be out if their hands."

But Geraldine McFadden from Glengormley said: "I just don't listen to it any more, I am just sickened with it now. All my friends are.

"Fair power to them in the assembly for trying, but at the end of three years, did they really get anywhere?"