The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, meets the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, for talks today in a move that will begin an intensive effort to remove difficulties surrounding an autumn Assembly election.
Dublin and London are working to a schedule which allows for about three weeks of meetings aimed at securing agreement on a November poll.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, meets the SDLP tomorrow and the Northern Secretary on Thursday.
Talks are also expected to be held among the pro-agreement parties in the North following those already held between Mr Gerry Adams and Mr David Trimble at Stormont last week.
Mr Ahern met the British Prime Minister at Mr Blair's country retreat at Chequers, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday.
The two premiers met for some two hours with officials before they held private talks on the way ahead for the stalled political process in the North.
Mr Ahern indicated yesterday the two heads of government had agreed on what they would like to achieve and how it could be done.
Last night, 10 Downing Street acknowledged a growing sense of momentum in the renewed search for political agreement. At the same time the Prime Minister, Mr Blair, continued to stress the need for "successful elections" which would see not just the Assembly but a power-sharing government restored to Stormont.
The Prime Minister's spokesman described Saturday night's meeting with the Taoiseach as "very useful" and said the two leaders would be reflecting further on the issues discussed ahead of another round of talks with the pro-agreement parties. With the detailed negotiation over any deal on "acts of completion" still to come, Mr Blair's spokesman said: "Obviously there is a certain sense of momentum but let's see how far we can get."
While Mr Blair and Mr Ahern had discussed the election issue on Saturday night, the spokesman added: "But as we've said before we want them to be successful elections."
This Downing Street emphasis suggests that Mr Blair is not ready to commit to what some Northern Ireland Office sources call an election "to process" but would prefer a prior Ulster Unionist/Sinn Féin agreement on the end of the IRA's paramilitary activities as the basis for a resumption of power-sharing.
The two premiers are encouraged by Mr David Trimble's significant victory over his opponents at a special meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council nine days ago. Mr Ahern has also mentioned the stability on the streets of Northern Ireland over the summer which, he said, was the calmest since the mid-1960s.
The Ulster Unionist Party held meetings of its officers' group and executive on Friday and Saturday, but there was no advance in the disciplinary moves against three UUP MPs who oppose Mr Trimble. It is understood the 100-strong executive discussed the two governments' Joint Declaration which is designed to map a return to devolution at Stormont.
One unionist source indicated to The Irish Times that a breathing space was being created in an effort to calm the atmosphere among the deeply divided party.
Legislation flowing from the Joint Declaration is due before the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Sinn Féin continues to press for an Assembly election. The party president, Mr Gerry Adams, speaking in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, at the weekend, said: "We have made it clear that it is our firm view that elections are the only way to create a new context, to inject a new dynamic into the process in which progress can be made.
"That needs the British government providing a definitive, immutable date for elections. We need to see the right to vote restored and confidence put back into the process."
Pledging efforts to address all the issues, including arms and all armed groups, Mr Adams added: "But setting a date will not of itself guarantee that progress will be made. Nor is making progress just down to republicans. It is a collective responsibility. It requires a collective approach in which all of the participants must play their part in putting the jigsaw back together again."