The Taoiseach has said the attendance of the DUP at this week's meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body is a hugely important step and should be seen as a hugely important occasion.
A DUP delegation, including deputy leader Peter Robinson, is due to make a presentation at the meeting of the body tomorrow in Killarney, Co Kerry.
Bertie Ahern also said that there are no circumstances under which the British or Irish governments can see themselves going outside the deadline of 24 November for the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive.
The upcoming report from the International Monitoring Commission - due to be published this week - is one of the most important reports to come from the commission.
Mr Ahern said he hopes the report will be positive.
Hain: Govts will stick to deadline
The Northern Secretary, Peter Hain, has said the Irish & British governments will stick rigidly to the 24 November deadline for the setting up of a power-sharing executive at Stormont.
Mr Hain also said he believed the IRA was honouring its pledge last July to end its armed campaign.
Speaking on British television, Mr Hain said: 'It's up to them. We can't continue as we are and we won't. The deadline of 24 November, which will be in the new emergency bill I'll introduce on Wednesday, will make it clear that that's that ... there's no extending the deadline.'
He continued: 'There's no one last chance. That is it. Faced with that reality, I hope the politicians will say we actually want to do the job that we were elected for.'
