An Irish government minister has signalled there will be no early decision on the status of the IRA ceasefire.

Liz O'Donnell, the Republic of Ireland's junior foreign minister, spoke out amid mounting pressure for a statement from the UK and Irish governments about the state of the cessation.

She said: "Any assessment of whether a ceasefire has been breached is one based on security intelligence, obviously, but also on fine political judgement from the ministers involved and the two governments."

Ms O'Donnell was speaking on Tuesday after a courtesy call from the new Northern Ireland Political Development Minister George Howarth.

Her remarks are likely to irk unionists, coming just hours after the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) said the IRA had murdered north Belfast man Charles Bennett.

Liz O'Donnell: Her remarks are likely to irk unionists

The body of the 22-year-old was found on waste ground in Belfast on 30 July. He had been shot in the head.

The Democratic Unionist Party justice spokesman Ian Paisley Junior said the RUC evidence should force the government to "face reality".

He said: "The IRA's ceasefire is nothing more than a sick joke."

So far, the RUC has not made a definitive statement on whether a recently uncovered Florida-based gunrunning ring is linked to the Provisional IRA.

Irish Justice Minister John O'Donaghue yesterday said he did not accept the IRA ceasefire was "coming apart at the seams".