Photograph crisis may go unsolved, says Ahern
But he told the Dáil he hoped the agreement both the Irish and British Governments were seeking could be prised out and power-sharing restored.
“Later this evening we expect to be advised finally whether we have agreement,” he said. “If there is agreement we expect that this will be revealed tomorrow.”
Mr Ahern said the two governments alongside all the parties have worked hard together to resolve and bring closure to all outstanding issues.
He said that if the deal was accepted it would open the way to a comprehensive partnership based on the Good Friday Agreement.
Mr Ahern confirmed that in any event he would be meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Belfast today.
“We’ll see in the next 24 hours whether it’s possible to conclude or not.
“There’s still a number of outstanding issues, some in the public domain. It’s fairly obvious what they are.
“We will continue over the next day or so to bring those to conclusions.
“There’s not much left for the Irish Government’s role. We’ve completed our work and it’s a matter for the parties now,” said Mr Ahern.
“We’re keeping in touch with the parties as well as we possibly can.”
Later, in response to a question by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Mr Ahern said he and his cabinet had discussed it “several times” in the last few weeks.
Mr Ahern also clarified that the early release of the IRA killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996 was put on the negotiating table by Sinn Féin.
Mr Ahern caused public outrage last week when he announced in the Dáil that the four men serving jail terms for involvement in the killing may have to be released to secure a comprehensive peace deal.
Mr Ahern said it was one of three issues for which the Government had responsibility. The other two items were On The Run terrorists (OTRs) and the possibility of Sinn Féin MLAs taking part in debates in the Dáil.
Mr Ahern said that when he outlawed any early release of McCabe’s killers in 1999 “it was the only time in the peace process when I was condemned by all the parties in the North.”
“The McCabe issue came on the negotiating table and we wanted to move on and get acts of completion.”
DUP leader Ian Paisley has demanded a photograph to accompany weapons decommissioning but Mr Ahern admitted this hurdle was one he could not imagine overcoming.
He said if no agreement could be reached on what had become the make-or-break issue he feared the opportunity would be lost and no agreement would be reached in the North for a long time.
The Taoiseach said the position would become untenable if an agreement was not thrashed out and warned that all sides would pull back unless a deal was imminently wrapped up.
“There is one major difficulty and I don’t see the resolution in that quite frankly,” he said.
“Both parties have a strong determined view of how they see that and it has concerned me for some weeks about how this issue can be resolved.”
Mr Ahern said it was “all or nothing” if Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists cannot agree.
“The Irish Government has taken a middle view (on transparency issues) which will become clear,” he said. “But if it doesn’t work this won’t come around again for quite some considerable time.
“If it doesn’t work in the next 48 hours or less we are in a very difficult position. People will pull back from all their positions all over the place and it will be very difficult to get back from where we are.”
Mr Ahern stressed that both Sinn Féin and the DUP felt they had gone out on a limb.
He said he felt it was vital to publish at least most of the Government’s proposals so the public could see for themselves what was on the table. “They will see where it’s at and I think it would stop anybody saying I was prepared to release the McCabe killers for nothing.”
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach why he had allowed the issue of Det Garda McCabe’s killers to remain on the table.
“Most people, including your own supporters, find it a bridge too far and very difficult to stomach,” said Mr Rabbitte. “Is it because Mr Adams said it was a priority of the republican movement?”
But Mr Ahern said Gerry Adams’s party had never ceased looking for the release of the four men. He insisted his position was clear - that it was not good enough just to have a ceasefire but that all outstanding issues had to be dealt with in their totality.
He said Sinn Féin had made it absolutely clear it was unable to convince the IRA to take the necessary steps of decommissioning unless the prisoners were released.
Mr Ahern confirmed a meeting had taken place with an IRA representative and the head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, General John de Chastelain, and that talks were ongoing.
He said that, having had difficulties last year, the general was being a lot more stringent this time round.
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