The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister have begun talks in Northern Ireland today in an attempt to put the peace process and devolution back on track.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair travelled to Hillsborough Castle for meetings with the Northern Ireland Assembly parties.
The two leaders were expected to focus on the ending all forms of paramilitarism and winning guarantees that unionists would share power with Sinn Féin if the IRA ended activity.
According to a Dublin source, the Taoiseach, in particular, will warn about the dangers of a political vacuum coming into the summer if there is no progress in the process.
Mr Ahern will be joined by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the Minister of Justice, Mr McDowell, who has been harshly critical of republicans, alleging that the IRA is involved in various kinds of criminality and that some of these proceeds are funding Sinn Féin.
But it is not clear if Mr McDowell will attend the Ahern-Blair trilateral meeting with Sinn Féin, although the layout of Hillsborough Castle means the Minister may come into contact with the Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, and Mr McGuinness.
Mr McGuinness indicated Sinn Féin would challenge the governments' attempt to chiefly blame republicans for the deadlock. "I reject absolutely their assertions that the greatest problem in terms of paramilitarism is from the IRA. The IRA is no threat to the peace process in my view," said Mr McGuinness.