One of the big questions in the peace process talks over the next few weeks will be about "acts of completion" and whether the IRA is willing to take a huge jump forward.
As far as the British government is concerned, it are still waiting to see what the republicans' response will be to Prime Minister Tony Blair's Belfast speech last year which talked about acts of completion.
NIO sources said yesterday: "Are they (the republican movement) able to respond to that speech and what are they prepared to contemplate? If this is tackled then everything else can slot into place quickly.
"But I think it is early days yet to say whether they (republicans) are able to do that."
Observers view the period from now to early or mid March as the timeframe for establishing whether a deal can be put together for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement including the paramilitaries question, demilitarisation, policing and a list of other issues.
This timeframe would take the talks process up to the March date for dissolving the assembly in order to have elections in May.
So between now and May there is a timetable but not necessarily a strict deadline.
Also, the policing legislation is going through committee stage in the House of Lords before going back to the Commons and there is still time to put in any amendments that need to be inserted.
It is anticipated that the policing changes should be legislated for by sometime around Easter.
An Ulster Unionist delegation including party leader David Trimble, Michael McGimpsey and James Cooper will have talks in London today (Tuesday) with Mr Blair and Secretary of State Paul Murphy.
According to the UUP they are going into this meeting "in listening mode" and want to hear what the Prime Minister means when he talks about "acts of completion".
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and chief negotiator Martin McGuinness are expected to have talks with Mr Blair later this week, possibly tomorrow.
Arrangements are also being made for SDLP leader Mark Durkan and a party delegation to have discussions with the Prime Minister on Thursday.
This marks a series of meetings and an implementation group discussion which is being planned for next week.
SDLP leader Mr Durkan said yesterday that although we have a new year the same old arguments are being played out by the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin.
"On the one hand Jeffrey Donaldson says the only issue is the IRA, while on the other Sinn Féin continue their mantra that the primary responsibility for failure to implement the agreement rests with the British government," he said.
"People are sick of seeing the same old blame game being played out. Parties must end the finger pointing and get down to the business of resolving all of the issues if there is to be any progress.
"Jeffrey Donaldson contends that the unionist community has lost all confidence in the process yet the antics of the Ulster Unionists have undermined nationalist confidence."
The SDLP leader said that the truth was that everyone had confidence issues.
He added that the only way to deal with them was for everyone to get around the table to agree a common way forward to end paramilitarism and to end political paralysis by agreeing how we would implement the whole agreement.
Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said yesterday that there had been no change on the policing issue and there was still a gap between Patten and the legislation.
"We are still talking to the British on this and intend to continue to try to get them to fulfil their commitments on Patten. Until that is done I can see no change," Mr Kelly said.
Asked how short the window of opportunity was in the political talks between now and the May assembly election to crunch a deal on all of the peace process issues, Mr Kelly said: "To be frank the election campaign in a way has already started. I suppose the sense of it is that pre-election is the wrong time for negotiations, but we can't pick these times.
"There is an election due in May. It has to be called, I assume, in the middle of March. We have a deepening crisis. We have to pull ourselves out of that crisis. Violent loyalism, violent unionism, is stepping into the crisis as has been done many times in the past."
It was put to Mr Kelly that the IRA had a role to play – and what did he think they would do in the next eight to 10 weeks?
"Well, I don't know. I can't speak for it. The IRA has taken a number of initiatives during the last four years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement which has saved the peace process.
"In my opinion the IRA have taken very brave moves. But let us be clear... it is 'cut off your nose to spite your face' politics. The unionists decided to pull down institutions which were driving the whole process forward and bringing us out of our conflict. We need the institutions up and running again. The wrong way to do that is to say that Sinn Féin is excluded. When you are talking about excluding Sinn Féin you are talking about excluding the largest nationalist party and vote in the north of Ireland."
Meanwhile, Mr Kelly yesterday condemned the planting of a pipe bomb at Holy Cross Primary School and said this was "loyalism's way of starting the new year".
"This is despicable. People thought we were beyond this in many ways politically," he said.
