The Taoiseach has encouraged the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) not to recommend penalties against Sinn Féin in its report to be published next week.
During an hour-long meeting in Government Buildings with the four-strong commission, Mr Ahern said he had "given my views" on the subject.
Under the legislation setting up the body, the IMC has the power to recommend "remedial actions", including penalties, to bring paramilitary organisations into line.
However, Mr Ahern believes such a move now would cause considerable problems, though his less-than-discreet direction to an independent body could raise eyebrows in some quarters.
The IMC's special report on the Northern Bank raid and the resurgence in punishment beatings will be finished by the end of the week, following a special three-day meeting of the group.
The document will then go before the Irish and British governments and published late next week, Mr Ahern indicated.
"They informed me that it is their intention to complete a preliminary report on recent matters by the end of this week," he said.
Mr Ahern will meet the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, this afternoon in No 10 Downing Street to discuss the difficulties in the peace process.
The Garda Commissioner, Mr Noel Conroy, and the PSNI Chief Constable, Mr Hugh Orde, will attend, and will brief the two leaders on the latest details of the investigation into the £26.5 million bank robbery.
Both men are convinced the IRA orchestrated the robbery, and speculation is increasing that the investigation's first major arrest is imminent.
Speaking in Dublin, the Taoiseach said: "I do not think the politics of exclusion or penalties will bring us forward. We have serious issues that we have to find resolutions for. I will positively work to try to find resolutions for those.
"...It is difficult enough in terms of the British election, the G8 (Group of Eight), the (UK's upcoming) European Union presidency, the elections in the North. All of these things make it difficult enough.
" I do not think that the politics of exclusion will get us anywhere," he said shortly after his meeting with the IMC.
The decision of the IMC to produce a special interim report reflects its concern over the impact of the bank raid, though it is expected to lay the blame squarely upon the IRA.
It could recommend docking the pay and allowances of Sinn Féin's Northern Ireland Assembly members amongst other actions.
Meanwhile, Mr Ahern has formally rejected suggestions that the IRA is ready to split or to resume terrorist acts in the North or in Britain.
"I have no information on that. I have no security intelligence on that. Needless to say, I can't go into my security briefings, but I do not have any of those reports.
"I have no such information. I have no such information of those reports," Mr Ahern told journalists at lunchtime in Dublin yesterday.
