The final draft of the Irish and British governments' proposals on re-instituting powersharing in the North is expected to be agreed by the main parties either this evening or tomorrow.
Officials from both governments worked long into the night finalising texts and the final draft is now being considered by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams briefed the party's ard comhairle in Dublin this morning following lengthy discussions with officials from both governments last night.
He said the party stressed to the officials that a "comprehensive agreement" must be achieved in the new proposals and that the governments must press ahead with implementation of powersharing regardless of whether the Democratic Unionist Party agrees.
Mr Adams said: "The two big issues [are] the DUP have yet to commit themselves to working with Sinn Féin and working the powersharing institutions thus far ... and secondly, we don't actually have the final draft of the governments' proposals."
DUP leader Rev Ian Paisley yesterday gave the governments a six-page document seeking clarification on 40 points contained in the draft proposals presented to the parties last Wednedsay.
Devolution has been suspended in Northern Ireland since October 2002, when unionists threatened to resign from the powersharing executive over alleged ongoing IRA activity.
DUP sources last night said that a commitment to complete IRA disarmament with a transparent process for decommissioning and the ending of all paramilitary activity is needed before they can agree a deal.
While it is believed that Catholic and Protestant clergy could witness a future disarmament move, the DUP may insist on visible proof, as a photograph, to be included so that unionists could have more confidence in the process.
Mr Adams today said he had "sense" of the points of clarification the DUP were seeking but that he could not say precisely what they were.
And he insisted the governments' proposals must be "bedded" in, and reflect, the terms of the Belfast Agreement. Only then would Sinn Fein consider the DUP's position, he added.
Mr Adams said that he would be very disappointed and could not tolerate a situation if the DUP delayed reaching a deal until after the British general election.
He said: "I listened to what Mr Paisley is saying and I'm positive. He's 78. It's a long time to wait.
"When I was a wee lad, Mr Paisley started a career and it was all about saying no.
"And I appreciate that it's difficult to change the habits of a lifetime."
But tonight DUP deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson told republicans a deal would depend on them abandoning paramilitarism forever.
The East Belfast MP said: "Decision time has arrived for the Republican movement.
"Everyone in this process knows that the IRA must wind up and be out of business for good.
"That means an end to the guns and gangsters and the complete ending of all terrorist and criminal activity. The commitment to exclusively peaceful and democratic means must be total, unqualified and irreversible.
"If we are to see a new agreement achieved it will be on the basis of the end of terror in a way that builds confidence across the community. It is time for Mr Adams and republicans to tep up to the mark."
If a deal is struck, it is believed devolution could be restored by next March, with all sides engaging in confidence-building moves in the interim.
The DUP executive meets in Belfast tomorrow evening although it is unlikely it will give a formal response to the proposals afterwards.
A decision by both parties is overdue but Mr Ahern and Mr Blair agreed at last night's meeting to give them a little more time
to decide on their position. "We don't see this running on for more than a matter of days," Mr Ahern said after meeting Mr Blair yesterday in Downing Street.
Additional reporting PA