The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has briefed the Cabinet at its weekly meeting on the prospects for the Leeds Castle talks on the North, which are due to begin in the morning.
A spokeswoman for Mr Ahern said later that he was neither pessimistic nor optimistic, but was very determined going into the discussions.
Mr Ahern has been in regular contact with the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in the run up to the discussions.
Separately, Sinn Féin’s national chairman Mitchel McLaughlin has said he believes the necessary work has not been done by the Irish and British governments in order to reach closure in the talks.
However, speaking at a news conference in West Belfast along with other members of the Sinn Féin talks team before their departure to England, Mr McLaughlin said his party was going prepared to do business, and to find agreement.
