The Taoisech, Bertie Ahern, has said he believes a power-sharing executive will be established in Northern Ireland at the end of the month.
In his most positive comments to date, the Taoiseach told a New York think tank that the recent election had been about domestic issues and people were now as he put it 'up for powersharing.'
Mr Ahern began a series of engagements in the United States today.
He is due to meet the new United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York and will visit the Twin Towers memorial.
Earlier, the leaders of the DUP and Sinn Féin held separate meetings with Tony Blair at Westminster.
They were the first discussions with the British Prime Minister since the Assembly election last week.
Meetings were also held with the British Chancellor, Gordon Brown.
Mr Blair told the House of Commons the fact that bread and butter issues were so prominent during the election said a great deal about the modern face of Northern Ireland.
Following an election dominated by issues such as water charges and with less than a fortnight to go to the power-sharing deadline, financial help for an incoming executive is at the centre of today's talks at Westminster.
The talks about money are likely to continue right up to the devolution deadline on 26 March with another session between the Chancellor and Northern Ireland's parties pencilled in for late next week.
President Mary McAleese has said she is hopeful that this month will see a return to devolution in Northern Ireland.
Speaking in London where she was delivering a lecture on multiculturalism, the President described a resumption of power sharing as a 'most wonderful outcome' and added that the conditions seemed to be right for it in the wake of the assembly elections.
