Republicans are understood to be involved in intensive internal discussions on the weapons issue as the latest deadline in the North's political process approaches.
Sinn FΘin representatives are also understood to have met Northern Secretary Dr John Reid on Tuesday night and were in contact with Dublin, London and other key players yesterday.
Rumours continued in political circles yesterday that an IRA move on weapons disposal is imminent.
However, neither the Taoiseach nor SDLP leader Mr John Hume would be drawn yesterday on whether they believed them.
During 45 minutes of Dβil questioning on the North yesterday, Mr Ahern avoided making optimistic predictions, but also avoided any rhetorical denunciation of Sinn FΘin.
Informed sources said the Taoiseach is taking a low-key stance to give republicans "space" to make a historic decision to begin putting weapons beyond use.
Mr Ahern urged all sides to show "maximum flexibility" as time was running out. He said the IRA statement of September 19th that it would intensify engagement with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was "an indication of renewed progress and a step in the right direction".
Mr Hume declined to say whether he believed the speculation about an imminent IRA move, but said he hoped it was true.
"The IRA have clearly declared their total commitment to the peace process . . . and I would like to see them demonstrating their total and absolute commitment . . . by implementing that section of the agreement that relates to decommissioning," he said.
Mr Hume was speaking in Dublin after a meeting that he, and the incoming party leader Mr Mark Durkan, held with the Taoiseach yesterday afternoon.
