The attempted murder of a prison officer last week was a sign - if one were needed - that republicans who remain opposed to peace, however small in numbers, still have the ability to kill or maim.
There are currently two main dissident republican groups in the north and both have some reach into the south.
The most active at present is the group calling itself the IRA. It's often been said this was a merger of a number of other deadly organisations and in 2012 when it was formed that's exactly what it was.
The Real IRA joined forces with those behind the killing of Catholic policeman Ronan Kerr in Omagh and mopped up members of a vigilante group in Derry, Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) to form a deadly alliance.
The merger didn't last long, as these things tend not to, but what remains still poses a not insignificant threat.
Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH), were responsible for the bomb that maimed police office Peadar Heffron. They were also responsible for the bulk of punishment shootings in north and west Belfast.
Arrests and surveillance on key members of both these groups has managed to curb much of their activity but they still have capability and that shouldn't be underestimated.
A statement released to the media by 'the IRA' linked the east Belfast bomb to the ongoing dispute in Maghaberry between republicans and the prison service.
Given the same group claimed the murder of prison officer David Black in 2012 with no change to the prison regime, that tactic is the definition of insanity, repeating the same action over and over again and expecting a different outcome.
There are approximately 30 republicans in Maghaberry, grievances are around forced strip searching and what's called controlled movement of prisoners.
The searches were meant to stop after a report suggested body scanning technology should be used as already happens in many English prisons.
However, that has failed to materialise and as successive inspection reports have shown the issues in Maghaberry are not exclusive to republicans as the jail has failed to meet basic standards expected of a modern prison. In fact it has been dubbed Dickensian by a senior inspector.
But, and this is a big but, while the conditions in Maghaberry need urgently addressed that won't stop violence on the outside. Dissident groups do not exist because of a prison regime, nor were they formed to fight a battle with the prison service.
Membership of both these groups are mainly veterans angry that the republican goal of a united Ireland was abandoned, bulked out by young people from areas where there has been no visible peace dividend.
Technology and covert surveillance has advanced to the stage that these groups are unlikely to ever be able to cause the city centre-flattening mayhem that their predecessors in the Provisional movement did.
While the threat remains severe, placed in context some of the recent attacks it would barely have made more than a 50 word brief in a newspaper at the height of the conflict.
However, as was seen in east Belfast last week, the dissidents only need to get lucky once while the PSNI need to get lucky every time.
Mainstream republicanism is not free from blame. Veteran members of the Provisional IRA who expressed concerns in the early days of peace were dismissed and isolated, prisoners' groups meant to address employment and mental health issues had funding cut.
The Stalinist nature of Sinn Féin meant anyone who expressed even the slightest dissent was cut loose or vilified and character assassinated and the result is those people found a new home in leadership positions in dissident groups.
I personally think it's too late to convince those older members of the merits of current peace process, that ship has sailed.
But if young people are enthused, have opportunity, jobs, education and see politics working for them they'll not be attracted to join any paramilitary group be it republican or loyalist.
To do that the arrogant attitude of those who dismiss anyone with a differing viewpoint outright needs to change. Otherwise a new generation will be lost with more bombs under cars, more grieving families, more prison cells filled.
