A renewed attempt to secure farmer support for the proposed social partnership agreement is likely, following brief discussions yesterday between the Taoiseach and farm leaders.
Mr Ahern declined, however, to commit any additional Government resources to agriculture in advance of the talks.
The proposed agreement, Sustaining Progress, was published 10 days ago without a section on agriculture after talks between Government officials and farm groups had ended in deadlock.
At a function in Dublin yesterday attended by the Taoiseach as well as senior representatives of the IFA and ICMSA, both sides indicated a willingness to re-enter negotiations.
Opening the new National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) in Parnell Square, Mr Ahern said he believed the farm organisations were wrong to reject the Government's proposals.
"I believe that they are overlooking the importance of the relationship between organisations in social partnership and the Government," he said.
It was for each organisation, he said, to decide whether it wished to sustain that relationship.
"We will regret the absence of those who choose to walk away but we will engage with commitment and energy with those who continue with the process, as I sincerely urge all who have been party to recent negotiations to do."
Mr Ahern was speaking to an audience made up mainly of the social partners - employers, unions, farm organisations and community and voluntary groups.
He later had brief, separate discussions with both the IFA general-secretary, Mr Michael Berkery, and the ICMSA president, Mr Pat O'Rourke.
An IFA spokesman said last night the organisation was prepared to "engage in a final effort" with the Government to continue its involvement in social partnership.
The IFA would enter talks without pre-conditions but would be looking for evidence that the Government was willing to commit resources to address the income crisis in the sector.
Mr O'Rourke said he had proposed to the Taoiseach that he meet farm leaders in an attempt to make progress. He was convinced, he said, that the Government had the finances to put together a package to address farmers' problems.
Speaking to journalists after his discussions with the farm leaders, however, Mr Ahern twice declined to say if extra resources would be made available.
Asked if the money farmers wanted would be put on the table, he said: "Well, I think we've been discussing this for almost four months this weekend and they know the parameters and they know the issues that are there."
He readily accepted that the past year had been a difficult one for farmers. The Government was attempting "within the limited resources that we have" to do everything it could to help, and would continue to do so.
Writing in The Irish Times today, the IFA president, Mr John Dillon, claims the proposed agreement as it stands "is essentially a pay deal for unions and employers".
"I regret to have to say that in the several weeks of negotiations with the farming pillar, not one euro was put on the table, even to redress the cuts."
