THE FIANNA Fail leader warned in Washington yesterday about the dangers of accepting that there might be no restoration of the IRA ceasefire until June 10th, the date set for all party talks.
"A number of people spoke to me about the ceasefire running at some kind of a level right up to June 10th and then perhaps seeing what happens on the 10th of June, if Gerry Adams can deliver," Mr Ahern said in an interview.
"I don't agree with the strategy. I think Sinn Fe in must find a method of talking with the IRA to convince them there is some merit in the communique and other issues. The marching season is only three weeks away now, and expecting the IRA units and loyalists, to hold fire is too dangerous.
Some officials in Washington have said privately they believed the ceasefire could be restored, but not before June.
Referring to the debate in the republican movement about what to do next, Mr Ahern said: "I think that everyone who has an influence has to try to help them to come to a conclusion that the way of moving forward is to restore the ceasefire urgently."
He also lobbied for support for "sensitive confidence building measures" from the British government, in matters like the treatment of a republican prisoner, Paddy Kelly, in Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim who deserved "on humanitarian grounds" to be moved to Portlaoise Prison to be near his family in the Republic.
Mr Gerry Adams, who arrives in Washington today, also raised the case of Kelly, who is dying of cancer, in speeches in New York.
Such cases made it difficult to "convince people who tend towards the military solution that they can find a better way in the political domain", said Mr Ahern, who was accompanied by his special adviser on Northern Ireland, Dr Martin Mansergh, and Fianna Fail officials.
Among those the Fianna Fail leader met were Democratic Senators Chris Dodd and Edward Kennedy, and the presidential adviser, Ms Nancy Soderberg.
He said: "We've tried to articulate what our understanding having been the only party at home which has been meeting Sinn Fe in on a regular basis directly political level, of how we can assist in moving them back into a ceasefire position."
He found attitudes to Mr Adams mixed. "The British government are still being blamed for delaying so much last year... but on the other side the IRA and Sinn Fe in are being blamed for losing a political position supported by so many American friends.
"What I'm hearing is that Sinn Fe in have made a dreadful political move, because Sinn Fe in are being blamed quite a lot here for not denouncing what the IRA did and Sinn Fe in are paying the price."
He said he heard from Congress members and senators that Noraid activists from previous years "are also insisting that there will be no funds if there is no ceasefire, and that's been said strongly. I'm saying if we are to get a solution we need Sinn Fe in inside, not outside".