The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said that Fine Gael may have misunderstood what the Government was proposing in relation to the Forum on Europe.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, said on Wednesday his party would not participate in the forum proposed by the Government.
However, Mr Ahern said yesterday Fine Gael might have been confused that the concept of such a forum was not simply an Irish one. Ireland, he said, had "created the difficulty ourselves about Nice".
He said the Forum for Europe was an idea from European member-state governments. There had been a decision that every country and its parliament "should create a mechanism of consultation" to prepare for the next EU summit in Laeken, in December.
"In the next week or so, I understand the European Commission and the Parliament will set out guidelines on how they want people to proceed," he said.
After the summit the debate would continue in all member-states throughout 2002. National parliaments needed to be in a position to report in late 2002, to prepare for EU discussions in 2003, he said, "for the future of Europe debate to be completed by 2004".
"So what we are suggesting is not just an Irish model, and I think Fine Gael might misunderstand that point. Nice is one aspect, and I think they have agreed to work on that, but the other aspect is something everybody here understood," Mr Ahern said.
As well as receiving a letter from Mr Noonan he had also received a response from the Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn. The Government, he said, would now reflect on the matter and get back to both parties.
Mr Ahern said he was glad Fine Gael had "pledged their support for trying to deal with the enlargement issue and trying to create a forum that would deal with that issue".
According to the Government's draft terms of reference, seen by The Irish Times, the forum would provide for an "inclusive and broadly-based" debate on Ireland's participation in the EU and on the "overall functioning and future development of the Union".
In this regard, and in the context of the issues raised by the Nice debate, "the forum will examine Ireland's experience of, and evolving relationship with, the Union, and consider the implications for the Union and for Ireland as a member of the extensive enlargement now in prospect.
"Against the background of significant expansion in the membership of the Union, and with a view to contributing to the wider review now under way among all member-states, the forum will also consider the range of issues which arise in the context of the debate on the future of Europe, which is due to culminate in a further intergovernmental conference in 2004".
The briefing note on the structure of the forum proposes that it should operate similarly to the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.
"The purpose of the forum would be to facilitate a broad discussion of issues relevant to Ireland's membership of an enlarging Union, and to consider the topics arising in the context of the debate on the future of Europe."
Following the precedent of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation it was suggested membership be limited to elected representatives.
A category of special observer status would be created, offering limited places to organisations including the social partners and groups active in the Nice campaign.
This status would be offered to parties from Northern Ireland, and MEPs from North and South.