The Taoiseach has warned the political parties in Northern Ireland that the Irish and British governments have agreed a blueprint for running the North if there is no agreement on a powersharing executive by the end of this month.
Speaking at a meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body in Dublin yesterday, Mr Ahern said that following on from the election to the Northern Assembly tomorrow an executive must be formed on March 26th.
"This is the end of the line. The two governments have made this abundantly clear. We have painstakingly, patiently and honourably followed and delivered, step by step, on the St Andrews Agreement. It would be unconscionable and deeply regrettable if this agreed deadline was missed and if the opportunity to govern was not taken.
"Patience has already been stretched and I do not believe that the people would take kindly to further delay. The war is over. The key issues are sorted. All must take responsibility in government for building and consolidating the peace," said Mr Ahern.
Later, in response to a question from British MP Michael Mates, who asked him what would happen if the Northern parties could not agree on powersharing, the Taoiseach said that the two governments and their officials had put a lot of time into discussing that eventuality 12 months ago and had agreed a blueprint for what would happen.
"With the constitutional issues settled we are then left, as two governments, with the responsibility if there is no executive. We would have to implement everything we could in the Good Friday agreement and the St Andrews Agreement in partnership. It is not ideal and not what we would like to do," Mr Ahern said.
Earlier, in his formal speech, the Taoiseach said: "What is clearer now than it has ever been at any point is that the people want their locally elected politicians to sit together in government and take decisions on these issues."
"...Failure to form an executive as envisaged in the St Andrews Agreement would be a missed opportunity of historic proportions. Such a failure would see the newly elected Assembly dissolved indefinitely.
"This would be a loss for the people of Northern Ireland but they, as much as the two governments, know that there would be no alternative.
"In these circumstances we have said that the two governments will implement the Good Friday agreement through new partnership arrangements.
"However, our focus is on success. There is no good reason why we should not be able to complete this historic process."
Mr Ahern added that he would be meeting the British prime minister, Tony Blair, later in the week to review the outcome of the election.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, has called on the British Government to allow business trading in Northern Ireland to use the euro in official transactions to break down the North-South currency barriers.
Mr Kenny has also called for the creation of a "seamless" all-island market in telecommunications and transport with a move towards all-island regulators for these sectors.
Speaking in Carrickmacross at the last of his eight pre-election rallies last night Mr Kenny also proposed a cut in the corporate tax rate as a key to the economic regeneration of Northern Ireland.
"In the context of the anticipated restoration of devolved powersharing, the UK government should consider giving greater fiscal autonomy to Northern Ireland so that it could address these issues," the Fine Gael leader said.
