The Government's Disabilities Bill, which has been criticised by the country's disability groups, will not come back into the Dáil before the general election, it has emerged.
The Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Ms Mary Wallace, dropped a key section on Tuesday, which would have prevented the disabled from suing the State over inadequate services.
Ms Wallace is to write this week to all of the groups offering a new round of consultations once a review of the legislation has been undertaken by the Department.
Facing questions in the Dáil yesterday, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, admitted to Labour leader Mr Ruairí Quinn he "did not know how long" the consultation process would take.
Acknowledging the row about the legislation, the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, promised the Government would listen to demands for amendments.
"We want to move a step up from anti-discrimination legislation to active measures to enable opportunity and to ensure that people with disabilities get access to services and facilities.
"There has been controversy about the Bill since it was published in December. We are now consulting disability groups about their views on it. We will listen to how it can be improved. We will take amendments.
"We are determined to introduce a Bill which represents a real advance from the point of view of the people it is designed to serve. And we will not enact a Bill until it meets that test," she said.
Promising stronger enforcement, she said: "People with disabilities must have real confidence that the statutory duty on the part of State bodies and agencies to provide services will be met.
"International practice in the area, for example, in Australia, Canada and the UK, often includes a special enforcement agency, a person or an ombudsman, who would be able to go to court to enforce the provision of services or access facilities."
The decision to drop Section 47 of the Bill, which blocked civil legal actions, was taken at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, following a presentation on the state of play by the Minister of State.
The section had been insisted upon by the Department of Finance, which feared it could leave the State open "to billions in legal claims", one senior minister told The Irish Times last night.
"There was no mood around the table for a row with people who have their own pressures to deal with. That's the last thing that we need at any time, not just running into an election," he said.
The Minister of State will rule nothing out in the talks to come with the disability groups, including their principle demand that the disabled should have legally enforceable rights.
"You cannot enter talks without being prepared to listen to what people have to say. The worst of all worlds would be for the groups to come after a meeting and say that we were not seriously listening to them," said a Government source.
Meanwhile, four people have already said they will run in the general election on the disability issue and more candidates could be announced next month.
Dublin-based psychologist, Dr Mark Harrold, who works in St Michael's House in Ballymun, will run in Dublin North East; Mr Eddie Collins-Hughes will contest Carlow/Kilkenny; Mr Kieran Goulding will do so in Dublin North and Ms Karen Cumming in Dublin South.
Campaigners are "hopeful" that Ms Kathryn Sinnot, who sued the State to get education for her autistic son, Jamie, will run in Cork South Central, constituency of Minister for Health Mr Martin.