Sinn Féin has described attempts by the Taoiseach to press republicans to move on decommissioning as unreasonable.
Vice-president Mr Pat Doherty claimed his party had done everything in its power to fully implement the Belfast Agreement.
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Mr Ahern, in a significant shift from the Government's position, told the Dáil yesterday an IRA move on disarmament within 10 days was vital in preventing the collapse of the political process.
Mr Doherty blamed internal unionist divisions and the British government's failure to implement policing reforms and demilitarisation for the current crisis.
"We stand by the agreement. We have worked to implement that agreement. It says that there is an onus on all of us to use whatever influence we can.
"These [Mr Ahern's] comments are an attempt to put an undue burden on Sinn Féin. They aren't correct and they aren't fair."
Earlier a Sinn Féin party source said the British government must spell out clearly to the North's parties what it intends to do to resolve the problems with the agreement.
As party president Mr Gerry Adams prepared to fly to Washington to brief US politicians on the crisis a Sinn Féin source said it expected the British government to "put on the table what it is prepared to do. The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is the key to all of this."
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Mr Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin.
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The source said: "If this is the crisis we all believe it to be then it is not good enough for the British government, 10 days ahead of a crisis created by one of the participants, to fail to put on the table what they are prepared to do.
"We went into Monday's meeting in Downing Street wanting to see something concrete and tangible. What we got was some vague discussion about the process and talks next week."
But Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Mr Seamus Mallon said "the holding of illegal weapons is contrary to the Irish Constitution and it is contrary to the sovereignty of the Irish people and indeed a threat to the Irish Government".
Referring to the Ulster Unionist ban on Sinn Féin ministers attending cross-Border body meetings with the Government Mr Mallon said all the institutions must be allowed to operate without any political interference.
He said: "These are very fundamental issues. They are not loose ends. They cannot be properly and fully dealt with unless the two governments not just lead in the resolution of them but drive towards a resolution of them."
DUP deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson said Mr Blair would "have to face up to reality" when he meets his party in London.
"Either he accepts the principle of cross-community support he has enunciated in the past or he does not because it is clear from the elections the majority of unionists are against the agreement," the East Belfast MP said.
PA