It would be inexcusable and inexplicable if efforts to revive power-sharing in Northern Ireland were to stall at this stage, the Taoiseach said today.
Bertie Ahern said there was no good reason why a power sharing executive should not be established at Stormont in March.
"We have a difficult issue to deal with, this is a realistic time frame it is achievable if everybody plays their part and is committed to it. I think people need to be very clear, I think people have to be very clear where we stand," Mr Ahern said.
"It would be inexcusable, inexplicable if the process was to stall at this stage and every effort has to be made to make sure that does not happen."
Sinn Fein's national executive backed moves by Gerry Adams to hold a special party conference on policing this month. But the staging of a conference depends on the response of the British and Irish Governments and the Democratic Unionists to Mr Adam's move.
During last week, Sinn Fein cast doubt on whether the conference could go ahead, after they said they were still waiting for a positive response from the DUP.
"We need to have the Sinn Fein ard fheis in this month so we can move to elections if we don't then we can't that is what would undermine the whole process," Mr Ahern said.
After Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness claimed that it was necessary to hear from Ian Paisley that he agreed with Tony Blair's assessment of what was required from the DUP and Sinn Fein, Ian Paisley Jnr insisted his father had said all he was going to say on the matter.
Mr Paisley Jnr said his father had accepted and acknowledged Mr Blair's interpretation.
Mr Ahern said: "Dr Paisley is a man that is simple in his words, he speaks clearly, and if he makes this absolutely clear that if we see a Sinn Fein ard fheis this month as we should and as I hope we will, then we have no more further difficulties in the DUP moving to power sharing and we can get on with the issue of devolution of policing in May 2008 as set out in the St Andrew's Agreement.
"I think that judgment has to be made in the next few days, it is critical that we get clarity in these positions."
He added: "The words during the week were helpful but it does not give us all that we need to move forwards."
Mr McGuinness also said the next few days were critical.