The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will urge the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, in London today to make a public apology for the miscarriage of justice caused to the Conlon family.
Mr Gerry Conlon, one of the Guildford Four, has been lobbying in particular for a British government apology to be issued over the death of his father, Guiseppe, in prison in England 25 years ago.
Mr Gerry Conlon, along with Mr Paul Hill, Ms Carole Richardson and Mr Patrick Armstrong, were jailed for the 1974 IRA Guildford and Woolwich pub bombing in which seven people were killed and scores injured. They were set free in 1989 when their convictions were quashed.
Mr Guiseppe Conlon was jailed around the same period for 12 years for a related alleged bomb-making offence when he travelled to England to arrange a legal defence for his son.
Mr Guiseppe Conlon died in Hammersmith Hospital in 1980 just four years through his sentence. Eleven years later, his conviction was also overturned.
Mr Gerry Conlon, supported by an Irish News petition, has recently been involved in a campaign to persuade Mr Blair to publicly apologise for these miscarriages of justice, especially in relation to his father, on the 25th anniversary of his death.
The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, has already signalled that Mr Blair is prepared to issue such a statement and the Taoiseach will press home the point in Downing Street today, according to a Government spokeswoman. Mr Murphy said Mr Blair has already written to the Conlon family expressing his view that there was a very serious miscarriage of justice.
"He very much regrets that, and that he is very sorry for the hurt and suffering of the family. I have no doubt that if asked the same in public he would make a similar public apology," he added.
Mr Murphy said there were "all sorts of ways in which that can happen", and that the issue would be raised at the Ahern-Blair meeting today, which primarily will deal with the political fallout from the alleged IRA £26.5 million Northern Bank raid.
SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan, who is also meeting Mr Blair in London today, said he too would be urging a full public apology for the "grievous injustice done to the Conlon family".
"It is just as important that the family is given the support, financially and emotionally, that has been so unjustly denied."
Mr Gerry Conlon urged that Mr Blair make such an apology from the despatch box in the House of Commons.
Mr Guiseppe Conlon's widow, Sarah, said an apology would "lift a cloud and a prayer would be answered". The SDLP, Sinn Féin and senior Catholic Church leaders have supported the campaign for an apology.
Last week Mr Durkan led the family in talks with Mr Ahern, who pledged his support. The family was also accompanied by Jim Sheridan, whose film, In The Name Of The Father, recounted the wrongful convictions and campaign for justice of Guiseppe and Gerry Conlon.
