IRA says it will disarm

Gerry Adams says the group is committed to "purely peaceful and democratic methods."

Bertie Ahern, the Irish prime minister, said the British and Irish governments had worked for 11 years for today's outcome. He said: "The war is over, the IRA's armed campaign is over, paramilitarism is over and I believe that we can look to the future of peace and prosperity based on mutual trust and reconciliation and a final end to violence."

Mr Ahern added: "If the IRA words are borne out by the verified action it will be a momentous and a very historic development."