The Taoiseach has called for the release of Ken Bigley, the British man being held hostage in Iraq.
Mr Ahern said there is every reason to return him to his family, and no justifiable reason for causing him harm.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, has been briefed on Mr Bigley's case by British Foreign Minister Straw and is maintaining close contact with the British authorities on an ongoing basis.
Meanwhile, it is reported that Iraqis have distributed 50,000 pamphlets in Baghdad pleading for Mr Bigley's life.
The move follows a televised plea by his Irish mother for his release. 86-year-old Lil Bigley, who is originally from Dublin, collapsed in her home in Liverpool only hours after making the appeal for her son's life.
She had to be taken by ambulance to hospital, but has since been discharged.
Kidnappers have threatened to kill Mr Bigley unless the UK and US release all women held in Iraqi jails.
His captors have already killed two American hostages.
Labour TD on Arabic TV
Separately, the Labour TD, Michael D Higgins gave an interview to Al Jazeera TV.
He emphasised Mr Bigley's Irish links and has also offered to take part in any mission to Iraq to verify how many Iraqi women were being held in coalition custody.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Mr Higgins said his interview on the Arabic TV station offered an opportunity to draw a distinction between the position of Ireland on the invasion and occupation of Iraq with that of the US and Britain.
Mr Higgins said statements that governments would never negotiate with terrorists were inconsistent with history, and that governments could at least have contacts with such groups.
Six Egyptian engineers kidnapped in Iraq
Gunmen in Iraq are reported to have kidnapped six Egyptian engineers working for a mobile phone company in Baghdad in the last two days.
Late yesterday, gunmen burst into the company's offices and abducted two engineers.
And it is has also been reported that another four Egyptian engineers working for the same company were kidnapped on Wednesday, bringing the total number abducted to six.
