British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair remains "deeply committed" to the Belfast Agreement, the Taoiseach said after meeting him this morning.
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| Mr Tony Blair and Mr Bertie Ahern |
The two met on the fringes of the EU summit in Brussels to discuss current difficulties in the peace process.
It is understood Mr Bertie Ahern and Mr Tony Blair discussed a timetable that could restore the political institutions in the North over the coming months.
The Taoiseach said that his Government was planning to devote enormous energy to the process in the hope of making progress before the end of the year.
Mr Ahern is thought to have encouraged Mr Blair to move on number of Sinn Féin's key demands - including police reform, demilitarisation and the stabilising of the political institutions - to convince the IRA to act on the disbandment call.
A Republican answer to Mr Blair's recent call for the IRA to disband is expected tomorrow, when Mr Gerry Adams is expected to give Sinn Féin's "considered response" in Co Monaghan.