The Taoiseach has hailed the opening of a new relationship between the Government and the Democratic Unionist Party after a two-hour meeting with the Rev Ian Paisley in Government Buildings.
After the first meeting with the DUP leader in Dublin to discuss Northern Ireland political affairs, Mr Ahern said he now firmly believed "that we all have a real opportunity to break free from the past and create a new situation in Northern Ireland where everyone is at ease.
"If everyone seizes the present opportunity, that objective can be realised," he said.
Dr Paisley has said there is "no evidence" that the IRA has put on the table in the North's political talks any offer to disarm and cease activity. Although Dr Paisley insisted that more work needed to be done on this issue before there could be a deal, both the Government and the DUP are continuing to work towards an agreement.
The highly symbolic visit of Dr Paisley to Dublin passed off cordially, although there was no significant progress reported in the talks. DUP sources said afterwards that while there were detailed discussions on the party's wish to introduce an "accountability" mechanism for members of the power-sharing executive, and on the need for the IRA to unambiguously disarm and cease activity, no significant breakthrough was apparent on any issue.
However, the DUP leader described the talks as "useful" while the Taoiseach suggested that the DUP's current negotiating position did not seek to breach the fundamentals of the Belfast Agreement. "Our meeting - both in terms of presentation and substance - is an important confidence-building step," he said.
The new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern, accompanied the Taoiseach at yesterday's meeting. Sinn Féin leaders are expected in Dublin on Monday for talks to try to reach agreement after the recent Leeds Castle talks failed to do so.
Speaking after his meeting in Government Buildings yesterday, Dr Paisley said he was in Dublin "as the voice of unionism" and "at a time of growing confidence in the Ulster unionist community". He said they had discussed the North's political institutions "and the necessity to bring about changes to them".
He said his party was working towards a settlement for all the people of Northern Ireland. "In doing so we wish to build a relationship with our neighbour that is practically based rather than politically motivated. No one has anything to fear from such an accountable North-South relationship of equal partnerships."
Mr Ahern acknowledged that there were "difficult issues" to be resolved "in a reasonable way" in relation to the operation of the Belfast Agreement.
"We also have to ensure a permanent end to IRA paramilitarism and the decommissioning of its weapons."
Dr Paisley told reporters that the meeting was "a useful meeting and we didn't fall out. We agreed to differ on many things but we also dealt with the issues that we should have been dealing with. And we will continue so to do".
Asked had he a good relationship with Mr Ahern, he said: "You'd better ask him."
Mr Ahern said he had been pleased to welcome both Dr Paisley and his deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson. He greatly appreciated the decision to come to Dublin for the meeting.