The Taoiseach Mr Ahern has said he accepts Justice Mary Laffoy's criticism of the Government in relation to the Inquiry into Child Abuse.
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Ms Justice Laffoy
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Speaking to reporters in Dublin this afternoon, Mr Ahern said that he believed the former chairperson of the inquiry understood the Government's difficulties.
"I have no argument with Justice Laffoy. I accept her criticism. She has worked hard on this. She understands our difficulties, she's an eminent judge," he stated.
"We cannot allow a situation go on where there 1,760 cases have been put forward and we have only dealt with 40 - even though I got the apology in 1999."
Mr Ahern also defended his own record and that of his Cabinet.
"I'm elected in the public interest. I have a public interest duty, as a constitutional officer of the State, and I'm concerned about the public too," he said.
Mr Ahern told reporters the Government hopes to publish its response to the judge's letter of resignation in the next few days.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet will tomorrow discuss the future of the Laffoy Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.
Commission chairperson Ms Justice Mary Laffoy strongly criticised the Government in her resignation letter last week.
Although the judge's letter was published in full in yesterday's Sunday Tribuneand in this morning's Irish Times, the Government has still not officially published its contents and will not comment on its contents other than to say it will issue a response "in due course".
However, reports this morning said the Government would not contest much of Ms Justice Laffoy's criticisms of its handling of the inquiry.
She said the Government's delay in completing a review of the commission's procedures, followed by the announcement of a second review last week had rendered the commission "powerless".
In a lengthy letter addressed to the secretary general of the Government the judge also expressed concern that, should the mandate of the commission change following the outcome of the second review, it would leave itself open to legal challenge.
The Taoiseach last week defended the Government against the delays in the review of the operation of the Laffoy commission, stating no one had ever expected so many cases to come before it. Almost 1,700 people have come forward to give evidence to the commission to date.
Mr Ahern also pointed to the legal challenges to the commission taken by religious orders and said the outcome of some of these was still awaited.
Labour Party leader Mr Pat Rabbitte called on the Taoiseach to immediately publish the documentation attached to Ms Justice Laffoy's resignation letter.
"Now that the judge's resignation is in the public domain, it is incumbent on the Taoiseach to publish the remainder of the documents sent by Justice Laffoy to the Government," he said.
"It is quite extraordinary and unprecedented for a Government to suppress such information which is so patently in the overwhelming public interest.
"We need to hear today from the Taoiseach who is going to take political responsibility for this situation. The damning letter from Justice Laffoy implicated the entire Government in a catalogue of obfuscation and obstruction and the Taoiseach must accept this charge. His apology to the victims of abuse demands nothing less," Mr Rabbitte said.
The Fine Gael spokeswoman on Education, Ms Olwyn Enright, called for an emergency meeting with the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science, with the minister, Mr Dempsey in attendance, to be convened immediately to discuss the Laffoy issue.