The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, are embarking on a fresh political initiative to try to ensure Assembly elections can take place in October or November.
Mr Ahern will meet Mr Blair at Chequers on Saturday to discuss how to inject new momentum to the Northern political process. Mr Ahern will press for autumn Assembly elections and while Mr Blair has not so far given the go-ahead for an early poll, there are growing signs that an election is possible in the next two months.
The Chequers summit follows on Mr David Trimble's victory over his internal opponents at the Ulster Unionist Council at the weekend and also comes after last week's meeting involving Mr Ahern and Sinn Féin MPs, Mr Gerry Adams and Mr Martin McGuinness in Dublin.
Some sources have described the Taoiseach's encounter with the Sinn Féin leaders as significant. Senior British officials are also this week expected to separately meet the Sinn Féin leadership and Mr Trimble.
Ulster Unionists have insisted that they will not sit in government with Sinn Féin unless it ceases to act as a paramilitary force. To call elections, Mr Blair will be seeking private assurances from republicans that the IRA will at least make some gestures to indicate it will cease all activity in order to improve Mr Trimble's electoral chances against his internal and external anti-Belfast Agreement unionist opponents.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said yesterday the party could take legal action to force Assembly elections if Mr Blair refuses to set a date for the poll. But he added, "Unless the British government provides a definitive date for the Assembly elections then there is no possibility of republicans considering any further initiatives".
The spokesman would not elaborate, however when it was put to him the corollary of his remark was that with elections the IRA would be open to initiatives demonstrating that it would carry out the "acts of completion" requested by Mr Blair almost one year ago in Belfast. He added however, "Without an election date it will be impossible to put together any sustainable arrangements that would satisfy both republicans and unionists".
Meanwhile, Mr Trimble launched his own initiative yesterday to try to bring unity to the divided sections of his Ulster Unionist Party. He told his Assembly team the party would be adopting a "hostile but nuanced" approach to the Joint Declaration as it makes its way through Westminster.
He is maintaining his support for the International Monitoring Commission, which Mr Jeffrey Donaldson opposes. But Mr Trimble is working on a strategy that might persuade Mr Donaldson and fellow dissident MPs the Rev Martin Smyth and Mr David Burnside to re-group behind his leadership.
Party officers will discuss the UUP's position on the declaration next Friday while the party's 110-member executive will debate the issue on Saturday. The question of disciplinary action against the three rebels will also be discussed, although it is understood that Mr Trimble would prefer to seek some accommodation with the MPs rather than force further division.
