The Taoiseach and Mr Tony Blair will assess the prospects for restoring the Northern Ireland Assembly when they meet Northern parties later this week, the Ulster Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy confirmed today.
As the British government prepared to present a draft document to the parties on the issues raised in the review of the Belfast Agreement at Stormont, Mr Murphy described this Friday's talks at Lancaster House as a stock-taking exercise.
"I do not know if a deal is likely to be done this week but obviously both Governments would like it to be done," he said.
"But we have to be realistic and it may take longer than that. We have to take stock and the prime ministers will be taking stock when they meet each of the parties."
Devolution has been suspended in Northern Ireland since October 2002, when the power-sharing executive threatened to collapse amid unionist concerns about IRA activity.
Republicans have faced constant demands since then to wind down the IRA, but they have accused the British and Irish governments of failing to honour pledges in the Belfast Agreement and in subsequent talks which could boost the political process.
Two attempts to restore devolution floundered last year over Sinn Féin and the IRA's failure to convince Mr David Trimble's Ulster Unionists of their good intentions towards the peace process.