Reid declares ceasefires 'intact'

Dr Reid said the ceasefires were in tact

The IRA and UVF ceasefires are still intact, the Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid has told the Alliance Party.

Dr Reid gave his assessment of the current state of paramilitary ceasefires during a meeting with the party at Hillsborough on Tuesday.

Speaking afterwards, party leader David Ford said that he had to accept Dr Reid's assessment at the moment.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Ford said the issue must be clarified to allay public concerns.

David Ford said he had to accept the assessment

"It is up to the secretary of state to give an assessment of the state of the ceasefires," said Mr Ford.

"It is quite clear that at this stage we need an assessment of both the IRA and UVF ceasefires given concerns that surround them in the community."

Last month, a unionist motion calling on Dr Reid to assess the state of the republican movement's ceasefire failed to win support in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The motion followed allegations that the IRA trained Colombian guerillas in weapons and was involved in the raid on the police Special Branch office at Castlereagh in Belfast on 17 March.

Last October, Dr Reid said the government no longer recognised the ceasefires of the UDA/UFF - the largest loyalist paramilitary organisation - and the smaller, splinter group, the Loyalist Volunteer Force.

It followed the murder of a County Armagh journalist and an upsurge in street violence.