Amid concern from Dublin and London that DUP opponents of powersharing could prevent the Rev Ian Paisley endorsing a deal, both governments last night stood firm, making it clear they are serious on the need to agree to devolved government in the North by Monday next.
The Irish and British governments remain convinced that the DUP leader wants to sign off on a devolution agreement by Monday, March 26th, but there is persistent anxiety that anti-deal DUP politicians could force Mr Paisley to try to get more time before he agrees to share power with Sinn Féin.
Two officer board meetings of the DUP this week and a meeting of the party executive expected for Saturday will be crucial to determine whether Dr Paisley will agree by Monday to be first minister with Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister. DUP politicians such as former executive ministers Nigel Dodds and Gregory Campbell want to postpone powersharing until May, according to senior DUP and official sources.
The governments are concerned that if their arguments gain sufficient support at the officer board and executive meetings, they could compel Dr Paisley to back off on what they believe is his own wish to become first minister.
The governments will press ahead with their "carrot and stick" strategy of seeking to persuade DUP sceptics that any attempt to push back Monday's deadline will result in the immediate collapse of Stormont.
In the past two weeks, Northern Secretary Peter Hain, who met Dr Paisley again yesterday, repeatedly warned that a new May date for devolution was an "absolute non-runner". If the deadline is not met there will be no special financial package for the North, while domestic rates will be increased and water charges introduced, the British government has insisted.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, writing in today's Irish Times, also makes clear that while it is not Dublin's preferred option, if the deadline is not met the Assembly collapses and the alternative "plan B" British-Irish partnership arrangements will "continue and intensify".
"If the deadline is not met, there will be no winners; only losers. And the biggest losers of all will be the voters in Northern Ireland who turned out in large numbers this month to elect a government - their+ government. Let us hope that common sense prevails," he added.
Dublin and London also hope that a new financial package that British chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown is due to announce after he meets the Northern parties in London on Thursday - together with financial commitments from the Government - will also serve as an incentive to carry "the deal over the line on Monday".
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will today meet Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams in Dublin and will be in daily contact during the rest of the week with British prime minister Tony Blair.
The governments believe recent comments by Mr Adams and other senior Sinn Féin figures urging support for the PSNI were constructive.
However, the DUP yesterday accused republicans of failing to support police and emergency services assisting those injured in Sunday's helicopter crash in south Armagh.
Any further clarity on Sinn Féin endorsement of the PSNI this week from the likes of Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness would be particularly welcomed by the governments.