The Taoiseach has issued a strong appeal to unionists to be more willing to share power with nationalists and republicans and allow Northern Ireland to prosper as a political entity.
Speaking at the annual Wolfe Tone Commemoration in Bodenstown, Co Kildare, yesterday, Mr Ahern also said unionism still has a long way to go to persuade extreme loyalism to stop.
The Taoiseach said withdrawing from inclusive government was not the best way to achieve the consolidation of a peaceful civil society.
"If Northern Ireland is to be given the chance to prosper as a political entity, it will require a fuller willingness by a majority of unionists to share power and responsibility with nationalists and republicans."
Mr Ahern said the democratic transformation of Northern Ireland required the withdrawal of all paramilitaries from the scene.
While nationalist Ireland has done much to assist the development of a more exclusively political republicanism, unionism still had much to do, he added.
"In terms of people being killed or attacked at random on the streets, unionism and the British state still have much to do to persuade loyalism to stop and to create confidence between the communities at the interfaces that will lead to complete all round disarmament and disbandment."
Mr Ahern said Northern Ireland would only see the full benefits of peace through the implementation of all parts of the Good Friday agreement.
"Its principles are good ones. They are fair. They are just. The institutions have done much good work with public support. The reforms are necessary and must be completed," he said.
The Taoiseach said the old argument that paramilitaries are not required to contribute if they are never going to be in government ignores the clear interests of society and must be rejected.