Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair said they would make an effort to resurrect the Northern Ireland Assembly in early 2006.
Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern with Britain's prime minister Tony Blair outside number 10 Downing Street after the pair met for talks
Speaking after a meeting in Downing Street Mr Ahern said: "If we can get that momentum then there is no reason in springtime why we should not be engaged in trying to bring back the institutions again."
Mr Blair said: "Ultimately the only stable basis of government in Northern Ireland is devolved government where power is being shared. "I certainly feel a sense of urgency about that I and I think the DUP want that to happen as soon as the necessary confidence is there."
Mr Ahern went to the talks seeking a blueprint that both governments and all Northern Ireland parties could use as a basis for progress.
He said the essential items for his talks with Mr Blair also included policing and the
The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
difficulties faced by the Parades Commission. Also on the agenda was the investigation by the Assets Recovery Agency into 250 properties in Manchester.
The operation, which involved raids and document seizures last week, is focused on a reputed £30 million IRA property empire.
It has allegedly been built up by reputed IRA chief-of-staff Thomas "Slab" Murphy, whose farm home straddles the border between Co Armagh and Co Louth.
Mr Blair and Mr Ahern will also look forward to the impending report by the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) on IRA activity - the first since the terrorist group announced it had stopped all actions.
There has been growing speculation that the IMC will report to the governments within days that the IRA has remained inactive since it announced the end to its armed struggle on July 28th.