The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern will meet and British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair in 10 Downing Street tomorrow as efforts to advance the peace process gather fresh impetus.
The summit could lead to a date being fixed for elections to a new Northern Ireland Assembly.
Confirming the move in Dublin today, Mr Ahern said: "It is very difficult. We are not making the progress Tony Blair and I had hoped to make. That's the negative.
"The positive is that the parties (in Northern Ireland) are very much committed to engaging. They have worked very hard to try to make progress.
"Yesterday, there were over three hours of discussions between Sinn Fein and the Ulster Unionist Party at senior level, and I hope that engagement will continue into the days ahead."
The Taoiseach added: "Tomorrow we will have a summit on Northern Ireland in Number 10. This will be a full summit to look at where we are. "I think we have made a lot of progress, and it is timely that we should meet again to assess where we are."
Mr Ahern described ongoing dialogue between the parties in Northern Ireland as "very important, because it is they who must work together in any functioning executive after the election.
"Naturally I welcome the engagement between Sinn Fein and the UUP, and I understand it is continuing. That has to be encouraging in itself."
Mr Ahern, who this weekend repeated his backing for early elections for a new Stormont Assembly with or without agreement between the parties on the outstanding issues, said: "We do not know at this point whether key issues can be clarified in advance.
"But again I would like to reiterate that each day that passes pushes any possible election date later into November, and I think all of the parties have made it clear that is not the best way.
"We want the elections to be held in a positive, pro-(Good Friday) agreement atmosphere - that is in the best interests of the peace process generally, and of the pro-agreement parties."
PA