Once again the people of Northern Ireland find themselves confronted with a peace process said to be in crisis.

There is talk of stolen IRA weapons and of loyalist paramilitaries stocking up on arms in case the ceasefires collapse.

There has been a spate of so called paramilitary punishment beatings with many of the victims maimed for life.

Trimble: 'Peace process may have to be put on hold'

The normally bipartisan approach of the Labour government and the Conservative opposition is under strain as never before.

The Conservatives say the release of paramilitary prisoners under the Good Friday Agreement should be halted while punishment attacks continue.

The government says to stop the release of prisoners would put the whole Agreement at risk, a view echoed by the main nationalist party, the SDLP.

Significant political progress is blocked while the main paramilitary organisations refuse to hand over any guns or explosives.

Process 'may be put on hold'

Mallon: 'Don't jeopardise the peace process'

The Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, says the peace process may have to be "parked" until this issue of decommissioning weapons is addressed.

He accuses republicans of failing to live up to the commitment in the Good Friday Agreement to follow non-violent methods.

Unionists say they can not take places in a new Northern Ireland cabinet with Sinn Fein unless some IRA weapons are handed over.

Republicans in turn accuse the unionist leadership of intransigence, and of failing to live up to the Agreement.

'Sinn Fein entitled to posts'

They point out there is nothing in the deal which they signed up to which says Sinn Fein's cabinet posts depend upon the decommissioning of weapons.

Some would say this is the price of reaching an agreement which was always going to be open to conflicting interpretations.

According to this view the difficult issues were put on hold, in the hope that with growing political consensus they would be easier to solve.

But the thorniest of those problems - what to do with the guns and bombs - just refuses to go away.

The main hope of the British and Irish Governments rests with the body set up to deal with weapons headed by the Candian General John De Chastelain.

Moment of hope

There was a flicker of hope before Christmas when the small and unpredictable loyalist paramilitary group the LVF handed in a limited number of weapons.

The sight of guns which may well have been used in the murder of who knows how many people being physically destroyed was truly extraordinary.

But it was only a rare moment of optimism in what has been a difficult and dangerous time for the peace process.

The murder of former IRA man Eamon Collins was a reminder that old hatreds and grudges still simmer beneath the surface.

The now acknowledged theft of IRA weapons has starkly exposed the divisions within the Republican movement which everyone knew existed.

Loyalist weapons

The talk of loyalists stockpiling weapons for a possible collapse of the ceasefires is a grim echo of bad times.

There are prominent voices trying to stem this tide of despair over the plight of the peace process, including the Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon.

He acknowledges the huge problem of paramiltary punishment attacks, and the need to address decommissioning.

But time and time again he asks whether the whole process should be allowed to collapse over these issues.

He argues that for most people in Northern Ireland the quality of life is better, the level of violence undeniably diminished.

Few people say Mr Mallon, would want the entire peace process to be jeopardised because of the activities of the paramilitaries.

But for many critics of this approach involves a capitulation to the men of violence which has gone on too long.

Prisoner releases 'must end'

From this view point, if the release of paramilitary prisoners continues, the authorities will lose all leverage they have to bring violence to an end.

These critics say there is no peace while people are savagely mutilated by paramilitary gangs. What peace there is, they say, is being bought at an unacceptable price.

The government insists that looking at situation in its entirety, the ceasefires are still holding and the agreement will still be implemented.

But power is due to be transferred to the new Assembly in March, and the difficult issues are forcing their way to the top of the agenda.

Hard choices can only be put off for so long, and the peace process is entering what is likely to be its most turbulent period.