"The IRA is a highly secretive organisation. Its governing body meets only rarely: its members believe the security risk is too great to do anything else. But news has emerged from the last meeting, in the Irish Republic, of the resignations of two key figures. One was apparently a member of the seven-strong Army Council, the other in charge of the IRA's explosives and weaponry. The two men were followed by several other more junior IRA members, and now by 12 members of its political wing, Sinn Fein. The move matters because the Republican leadership has seen unity as crucial to its strategy. It's no coincidence that Sinn Fein's name means 'Ourselves Alone'. But there has been clear dissent within Republican ranks about the current peace process. There's disaffection about the talks, and the prospect that when they conclude -- as they're due to next May -- Ireland will not be re-united. There's also unease about the Sinn Fein leadership signing up to the principles of non-violence
and consent that are supposed to underpin the negotiations. Security sources say that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness, the two most senior members of Sinn Fein, remain in control of the Republican movement. The assessment is that, for the time being, the IRA ceasefire will hold. But any split -- simply because it's unusual -- is significant. The last big row took place in 1986, when a faction calling itself Republican Sinn Fein broke away. It's believed to be close to the splinter group, the Continuity IRA, which has been responsible for recent bombings in Northern Ireland. Those devices have included traces of the plastic explosive, Semtex -- in the past only used by the IRA. Irish nationalists are arguing that the recent rumblings should add urgency to the talks process. Those negotiations though are showing little sign of progress."