Casting a pall on the Taoiseach's message of progress in the peace process and relative harmony in the North, the North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, has renewed his attacks on the "sectarian" character of the Republic.
However, in the White House yesterday for the traditional presentation of shamrock, Mr Ahern brushed off his comments and emphasised the closeness of the links between the US and Ireland and thanked President Bush for his continuing commitment to the peace process.
Addressing a morning debate in Washington organised by the Global Citizens Circle, Mr Trimble had quoted Conor Cruise O'Brien's description of Britain in States of Ireland as "a land of sleek leaders" and Ireland one of "snarling dogs". He described the recent abortion referendum as "a sectarian exercise" and a "sectarian vote".
The Deputy First Minister, Mr Mark Durkan, dismissed the comments saying he had no more interest in Dr Cruise O'Brien's 30- day-old views than his 30-year-old ones.
Mr Ahern said he had not heard one sectarian comment during the campaign and wondered if unionists were not also worried about abortion. "To be frank," the Taoiseach said, "I am more concerned about his comments on a Border poll." The Belfast Agreement had to be given a chance to "bed down", he told journalists. Such a poll would be "premature" and could cause division.
At the White House, pipers and a drummer from the New York Emerald Society Pipe Band heralded several hundred notables for the traditional St Patrick's Day functions.
The guest list included the US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell; Ambassador Richard Haass, US "pointman" for Ireland; Irish-American business and political leaders and the North's political leaders, with the notable exception of the Rev Ian Paisley.
"A hundred thousand welcomes," said Mr Bush, who admitted he was not even going to try it in Irish but said he had been practising "Taoiseach".
A group of emergency workers were seated in the front row and both the President and the Taoiseach paid tribute to the Irish who died on September 11th.
Following his meeting with Mr Bush, Mr Ahern said that while Ireland wholeheartedly supported the US campaign against terrorism and he noted the President's determination to see the campaign through, on Iraq "I did not feel he was about to wage war on anyone unless he feels it's absolutely necessary." He added: "I think he also made it clear that he doesn't have any immediate plan to start any action overnight. I think that's not where he's at at this stage."
At the presentation of the shamrock earlier in the Roosevelt Room, Mr Ahern expressed Irish solidarity with the US over September 11th and saluted the "spontaneous heroism" shown by so many men and women. "On a day when so many were lost their courage ensured that hope itself was not among the casualties."
He said Ireland at last "was drawing a line under the dark times of our history" and the leaders of Northern Ireland had vindicated the "underlying conviction that there was no problem, however difficult, which could not be resolved applying the principles of democracy and justice." He thanked the US for its role as an "impartial and candid friend to all sides ".
Last night the Taoiseach attended the annual dinner of the US Ireland Fund, where he was presented with an award for his contrito the peace process.
