SINN FEIN has countered unionist calls for a suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly over claims that the IRA is still active.

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness hit back at the latest comments by First Minister Peter Robinson on Tuesday evening.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Mr Robinson met British Prime Minister David Cameron and Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers after failing in a bid to suspend Stormont for four weeks as a precondition of multi-party talks on the issue, which would include London and Dublin.

Following the meeting, he said: “Our view was that those talks should be held in an atmosphere where people were concentrating on those issues and normal business was not proceeding.”

Downing Street said Mr Cameron realised the gravity of the situation and had asked Ms Villiers to hold talks with Northern Irish parties and the Irish government to help secure an agreement.

Mr McGuinness said that, while he would be prepared to take part in a new talks process, “I don’t think it was a good idea looking for a suspension of the institutions for a four-week period.

“I think it would be an even worse idea if David Cameron were to effectively suspend these institutions and return direct rule ministers for whatever time.”

Sinn Fein said it was also seeking an urgent meeting with Mr Cameron.

The allegation that the IRA has not disbanded is based on an ambiguous report by Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable George Hamilton following the murder of dissident republican Kevin McGuigan last month.

The force has claimed that Mr McGuigan’s killing was an act of revenge for the murder of of IRA commander Gerard “Jock” Davison in May.

Ms Villiers, Former Ulster Unionist leader Lord Trimble and current UUP leader Mike Nesbitt have pushed for the revival of the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) on paramilitary groups, four years after it was disbanded.

Communist Party of Ireland chairwoman Lynda Walker said: “The DUP don’t want to collapse Stormont but need to seen to be doing something. Nesbitt just exposed himself as a political opportunist.”