The Taoiseach has said he hopes the DUP will take its places in the restored Executive and that the IRA will stick to its promises on weapons.
Mr Ahern said he hoped the working of the institutions over time could persuade many opponents of the Belfast Agreement "that it does represent an honourable and balanced accommodation in the best interests of all the people, North and South".
Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings on Saturday, Mr Ahern welcomed the Ulster Unionist Council decision. He praised the leaders of all pro-agreement parties for their "courage and commitment".
He appeared to express optimism that the UUP would not continue to reopen debate on the matter, and that the pro-agreement camp would now be strengthened. "I think the issue is being dealt with now," he said. Mr Trimble's "very successful leadership has achieved so much for the Ulster Unionists, and the very clear policy which he has set out has achieved this.
"Of course there are people who have alternative views on it but parties are strong going forward, and he has called on all parties today to unite behind his policies and, as we see full implementation of the agreement, then I think people will move to the Yes side," the Taoiseach said. He said he now hoped the IRA would "stick to the commitment that was made in their statement" of three weeks ago. "They said that the IRA leadership would initiate a process that would completely and verifiably put IRA arms beyond use." They had also said they would allow some of their arms dumps be inspected as a confidence-building measure "within a matter of weeks".
In relation to claims by Mr John Taylor that he had received new and unspecified "assurances" from Dublin, Mr Ahern said Mr Taylor and others were aware of the Government's position on the Patten report. He had had no discussions with Mr Taylor since May 5th, he said, although the British government had had ongoing discussions with him.
Suggesting there could be some developments on the issue, he added: "There is a job to be done and . . . there is a legislative process that has to be gone through and let's deal with that. It is another one of the issues, the all-very-important issues, that have to be dealt with."
Asked what he thought of the doubt over the DUP's return to the Executive, he said he hoped it would return. "We were pleased that they were there in the first place. They were doing good work," he said, adding: "I'm not too sure if anything I would say would persuade them one way or the other."
Fine Gael and Labour both welcomed the UUC decision, attributing the outcome to Mr David Trimble's "courageous" leadership of his party.
Fine Gael leader Mr John Bruton said it was a very welcome decision. Mr Trimble's approach "that the only proposal that would work was one that had broad support from nationalists as well as unionists is one that should be reciprocated on an ongoing basis."
The Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, called the UUC decision "a vindication of the courageous position taken by pro-agreement unionists and David Trimble in particular".
It was time for those who supported the Belfast Agreement, particularly those who now returned to office in the Executive, "to work to persuade those with doubts about this process that it is in the interest of all the people of Northern Ireland".