The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern spoke in cautiously optimistic terms about the possible resumption of the Northern Ireland institutions in the Dail this afternoon.
Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, Mr Ahern told Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny that while Friday was not the final date for agreement before talks were suspended, he was confident the deal could be struck by then.
"The two Governments would like to finish it tomorrow. I would like to think we would finish on Friday or Saturday," he said.
The Taoiseach said the governments were "pleaded with" by the DUP not to give a definite deadline.
Earlier, Mr Ahern told the Dáil that there still at least two potentially difficult issues that concerned him but he hoped that progress would be made on them in the next 48 or 72 hours. But he stressed: "I don't see a short-term solution unless people significantly move their position. I would not at this stage like to be overly positive or overly negative."
"Hopefully we will not be in that situation again where we would have a party effectively within the system but staying outside the system."
However, he added despite the suspension of power-sharing many departments and agencies dealing with north-south issues have continued their work. "We have never stopped on any of these areas, either in the implementation bodies or in the areas outside the implementation bodies and we will certainly continue to do that."
Any agreement would hopefully see all ministers engaged on implementation bodies playing their full role, Mr Ahern said. He noted that some ministers were not actively engaging in the work, mainly those from the Democratic Unionist Party.