The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will meet Mr Tony Blair in London today to discuss the Northern peace process and efforts to agree an EU constitution.
While no specific proposal to re-engage the Northern Ireland parties will be on the table, Mr Ahern's official spokeswoman said he was convinced that the best way forward was for the two governments to continue their dialogue.
Mr Ahern is also expected to raise the failure of the British government to release the Cory report into alleged collusion of the British security services in the murders Mr Pat Finucane, Mr Robert Hamill, Ms Rosemary Nelson and Billy Wright.
While Mr Peter Cory, the retired Canadian judge who compiled the report, made it known last week that he was seeking a public inquiry in each of the cases, the British government has so far refused to publish his report for legal reasons.
Mr Ahern has already published a report by the judge into alleged collusion with the IRA by certain gardaí.
The lunchtime meeting at Downing Street comes at the start of a difficult week for Mr Blair, who is faced with a backbench rebellion in a vote on university fees tomorrow and the publication a day later of the Hutton report into the death of government scientist Dr David Kelly.
Dr Kelly was the alleged source of stories related to weapons of mass destruction aired in BBC news reports, but he committed suicide when this link began to emerge.
Despite these difficulties for Mr Blair, however, Mr Ahern's spokeswoman said he was anxious to ensure that there would be no loss of momentum in the peace process.
The two leaders are expected to discuss the position of the DUP, the largest unionist party in the Assembly, which is refusing to enter government with Sinn Féin.
Mr Ahern's spokeswoman said there was "nothing definite at the moment" when asked about a report in the Sunday Times which said that Mr Ahern would meet in the next fortnight with the DUP leader, Dr Ian Paisley.
However, she said that the Taoiseach had always said he would be happy to meet Dr Paisley.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair are also likely to discuss the forthcoming review of the Belfast Agreement.
With the two governments having sought the views of all the Northern parties, the review is now likely to begin a week later than expected at the beginning of next month.
The two governments are also expected to review the position at a meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Council next Thursday, where the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, will hold talks with the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy.
The meetings this week take place after Ulster Unionist Party Assembly members met at a secret meeting in the North over the weekend to discuss political strategy.
In addition to the peace process, Mr Ahern will discuss with Mr Blair the prospects of EU leaders finalising agreement on an EU constitution during Ireland's presidency of the union.
Mr Ahern has undertaken to speak with each of the EU leaders before making a report in March on the process which collapsed just before Christmas at talks chaired by the Italian leader, Mr Silvio Berlusconi.
