The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said he believes the IRA and DUP are serious about a return to power-sharing in the North and has reiterated his belief that the parties are close to a deal.
Mr Ahern conceded in a radio interview with RTÉ this afternoon that there were a number of outstanding issues but said if people held their nerve, engaged in 'straight negotiation' and took 'a couple of chances' a deal, he thought, could be struck with less than ten further hours of negotiation.
"Really it just requires a bit of cool nerves, a bit of straight negotiation on very few issues, a few chances to be taken - nobody likes the bits that are outstanding, but if we all do it collectively this can be finished," said Mr Ahern.
"There's not 10 hours work left in this, having had in this phase of it a year where we must have spent thousands of hours on it," he said.
On the matter of IRA decommissioning, Mr Ahern said he believes the IRA is "seriously engaged" in the process and indicated that there had been further work between the IRA and General John de Chastelain since Wednesday and over the weekend which should, he said, be read as a 'very positive sign'.
Mr Ahern said Mr Paisley's comments at Ballymena where he referred to the IRA having to wear 'sackcloth and ashes' were 'a bad call' but that he had to satisfy various elements within his own party who had differing views on the proposed deal.
