The Government's primary concern in the affairs of Northern Ireland is to see the institutions of the Belfast Agreement up and running again, the Taoiseach said today.
Speaking at press conference in Dublin Mr Ahern said: "We just want to get the institutions up working again. The Good Friday Agreement as far as we're concerned is the only agreement. It still is the agenda nothing's changed.
"Our only concern in the Irish Government is to build back up the institutions again, we do not want to have any more role in this.
"The Agreement isn't been suspended today, the institutions are and we'll do all we can to get the institutions up running with confidence and with trust as quickly as possible," he added.
Earlier Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, said in a joint statement they were "deeply saddened" by this morning's suspension.
"It is clear, however, that devolved Government cannot be made to work effectively in circumstances where there has been a breakdown of trust between those involved," they said.
"It is our sincere wish that the Northern Ireland institutions be restored as soon as possible. We firmly believe that it will be possible to do so, and in a way that will last without further disruption, once trust between the parties has been re-established."
The two leaders insisted that the time has come for those involved in violence must decide between it and peaceful, democratic means. "We deplore the scourges of paramilitarism and sectarianism...[and] we are determined that their destructive agenda will not succeed."
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They said they would press ahead with full implementation of all aspects of the Belfast Agreement as the only viable future for the people of Northern Ireland.
The two governments intend to work closely, through the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, and in consultation with political parties, to try to restore the devolved administration as quickly as possible.
The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, described today's events as "regrettable". She said, however, that she believes the majority of the public is in favour of full implementation of the Agreement.
"The burden of responsibility rests with political and community leaders, who have a clear duty to fulfill that mandate, to rebuild trust and confidence and work out a way forward," she said.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, described the suspension as "regrettable but probably unavoidable". He said there was a "particular onus on the Republican movement to take action to demonstrate they are committed to exclusively peaceful means".
Labour Party leader Mr Ruairí Quinn said the decision was "deeply disappointing.
"There is a democratic and moral obligation of both sides, unionist and republican, to rebuild trust," he said.