The Taoiseach and a series of ministers will join the Minister for Justice in today's Dáil debate on the controversial citizenship referendum proposal, signalling the Government's determination to press ahead with the poll on June 11th despite Opposition protests.
Mr Ahern, along with the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, the Minister for Communications, Mr Dermot Ahern, and the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Sport, Mr O'Donoghue, will all speak today in favour of the proposal.
Three ministers of State and six Fianna Fáil backbenchers are also listed to speak.
The Dáil will today and tomorrow debate the Bill enabling a referendum to take place to allow the Oireachtas legislate to restrict the right to Irish citizenship of children born on the island to non-national parents.
The Opposition parties intend to use Dáil procedure to slow the debate.
This morning they plan to seek a vote on the order to proceed with the second-stage debate, normally a technical formality.
However, when recalling the Dáil a week early for the two-day debate on the proposal, the Government decided that no votes would be taken during this week.
This is expected to lead to the bizarre situation in which the Dáil proceeds with the second-stage debate, although it will only vote next week on whether to hold this debate or not.
Meanwhile, the Sinn Féin leader in the Dáil, Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, yesterday accused the Government of "breathtaking arrogance" in discussing the citizenship referendum plan with the British government despite failing to consult political parties North or South.
"Their cavalier and dismissive attitude to very real concerns raised by all the political parties on this island in relation to this ill-conceived and ill-informed referendum stand in stark contrast to the considered discussions they held with the British government on the matter.
"And contrary to what Mary Harney or Michael McDowell may want people to believe, they have not engaged in any meaningful way with other political parties on this very sensitive issue."