Mr Martin McGuinness MP has explicitly raised the possibility of Sinn Féin holding a policing and/ or justice ministry at Stormont.
At the same time Sinn Féin sources have again confirmed that radical and speedy changes in the political complexion of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is central to the party's ongoing negotiation with the British government about "acts of completion" to restore devolution and secure the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement.
As reported in yesterday's Irish Times, Sinn Féin regards the early introduction of "a critical mass of nationalists and republicans" into the ranks of the PSNI as central to the achievement of a "representative" policing service in Northern Ireland.
The party president, Mr Gerry Adams, confirmed Belfast sources who had earlier dismissed suggestions that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, regarded the British/ Irish document setting out their "shared understanding" of the acts of completion necessary as closed to any further negotiation.
As if to illustrate the point, Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness were speaking in London where - after attending the morning session of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry - they resumed discussions with senior British officials in a further attempt to "close gaps" on policing, justice and other issues they consider still without "closure."
Following those discussions, Mr McGuinness noted the British government's commitment to devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly and a similar "in principle" commitment of the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble.
Citing the D'Hondt principle for allocating ministerial portfolios and observing that Sinn Féin might well emerge the largest party in the Assembly at some point in the future, Mr McGuinness declared: "They [the pro-agreement parties\] all signed up to the principle that the party with the greatest number of votes and seats in the Assembly should take the position of First Minister . . . so I can see no reason why there cannot be a Sinn Féin policing and justice minister."
Mr McGuinness's suggestion might unnerve Mr Trimble who has renewed questions about republican intentions following the weekend discovery of an alleged Provisional IRA arms cache.
However it will almost certainly be regarded by the two governments as reassuring evidence that Sinn Féin accepts that a party sharing responsibility for government must ultimately also support the policing service.