The Northern Assembly could be set up on a temporary basis without an executive to break the deadlock in the peace process, the Taoiseach said tonight.
The Irish and British governments are planning to publish their joint plan to restore powersharing in three weeks time.
Mr Ahern said that it was possible that the Assembly might be set up without the executive, which consists of a First Minister, Deputy First Minister and various ministers with individual portfolios.
"Well obviously if we don't get agreement on the executive you can't have an executive. But that shouldn't stop the Assembly operating for a period of time while there is work for it to do and that could take a few months," he said.
Both Sinn Féin and SDLP oppose the concept of setting up a "shadow assembly" in advance of restoring the powersharing executive but the move is favoured by the DUP. In an interview with the BBC's Politics Show, Mr Ahern said there would be safeguards to prevent this period without an executive being dragged out.
He said he and British Prime Minister Tony Blair did not intend to go through another year with the Assembly still suspended. "I think the difficulty for the Prime Minister and I, is that it's eight years on. It is now, we're heading quickly towards another summer.
It's last summer since we got the IRA's statement, which I think that most people thought we'd never get. The arms issue was dealt with in the early autumn so we are heading quickly towards another summer."
Mr Ahern said he believed that all the obstacles to powersharing had been removed and it was just a matter of working out how to restore it.
"Politicians all over the world like to be in power and I am sure in Northern Ireland it is no different, they want to deal with the everyday issues, what's known all over the world as the bread and butter issues - to deal with education, local government and health."
PA