The British and Irish governments expect to have a clearer indication of whether a political breakthrough is possible in the North when the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, meet in Rome tonight or tomorrow morning.
Dublin and London believe that it could take another 10 to 14 days of negotiations before it is known for certain if elections can be called that would lead to the formation of an Assembly and Executive.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair, when they meet on the fringes of the Treaty of Europe summit in Rome tonight or tomorrow, will be updated on the chances of the current talks leading to a successful conclusion.
They will be briefed by one of Mr Ahern's most senior officials, Mr Michael Collins, and Mr Blair's chief of staff, Mr Jonathan Powell, who have been central to the behind-the-scenes negotiations chiefly involving the two governments, Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionist Party.
The Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, and the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, are also due to meet for the sixth time in recent weeks either today or tomorrow.
Talks sources say that progress is being made in these discussions and that the atmosphere at the negotiations remains positive.
"But there are still gaps to be filled, and the fact is that we don't have much more time if things are going to happen," one talks insider said.
The main "gap", according to the sources, is over what the IRA would deliver in return for elections and an Ulster Unionist commitment to work the institutions of the Belfast Agreement.
The Northern electoral office - which, like all the political parties, is already on an election footing - will need at least four weeks' preparation if elections are to be called for the preferred date around mid-November, which requires a deal by the middle of this month.
While Sinn Féin insists that elections must take place regardless of the outcome of the talks, the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, has so far not conceded that demand.
Speaking at the Labour conference in Bournemouth, he repeated that while he and Mr Blair want elections in the coming weeks, the poll should result in an immediate return of the Assembly and Executive.
"But an election serves a purpose: it must create a government. And without action and words from the IRA, that can build trust and cement confidence, we risk either more direct rule or an election to a dysfunctional Assembly and renewed cold storage for politics in Northern Ireland," Mr Murphy said.
In Bournemouth earlier in the week, Mr Trimble indicated that elections might be pointless if the IRA did not indicate that its war was over, as elections would then only lead to negotiations rather than a return to devolution.
Mr Nigel Dodds, the DUP MP for North Belfast, however, said Mr Trimble was effectively admitting that democracy in Northern Ireland was a "hostage of the IRA".
"The DUP wants an election now whether Sinn Féin/IRA does something or not and whether David Trimble likes it or not. An election, with its resultant renewed mandates, is the only option," he added.
