Mr Bertie Ahern and Mr Tony Blair's plans to revive power-sharing in Northern Ireland appeared to be in trouble tonight as nationalists raised concerns about the proposal.
Sinn Fein negotiators were involved in a tense meeting with Irish officials after one of the party's TDs Mr Caoimghin O Caolain said the party had some concerns about the package of proposals.
The Prime Minister also presented Democratic Unionist leader Rev Ian Paisley with the governments' plans during the meeting in Downing Street.
But nationalist SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan tonight went on the offensive against the proposals, telling a debate in University College Dublin, the DUP was given a veto under the proposal on nationalists ministers.
Mr Durkan expressed alarm at the proposals that the joint election in the Northern Ireland Assembly for their First and Deputy First ministers would be replaced by a vote at Stormont for the entire executive.
"It means that the DUP have a veto over any nationalist minister appointed to the executive," he said. "When the SDLP negotiated the Agreement, we ensured that no party could veto any other party's ministerial appointments.
"Now the DUP can politically vet the lot.
"Nationalists won't have the last say on who they appoint as ministers. The DUP will."
The British and Irish governments were today hoping that their proposal would help pave the way for the revival of power-sharing and for significant moves by the IRA on disarmaments and its future.
Today's package was also aimed at bridging the gaps between the DUP and their nationalist parties over future muddles of powersharing.
Talks sources tonight suggested that the two governments were proposing a review of the cross-border arrangements between the Stormont executive and the Government.
It was believed the package held open the possibility of more North/South bodies and cooperation, but nationalists were unhappy that the DUP still appeared to be giving no commitment to increase cooperation.