The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has offered his condolences to the family of former Minister for Agriculture Mr Mark Clinton.
Mr Clinton, who died on Christmas Eve, will be buried after 11 a.m. Requiem Mass in Rathcoole, Co Dublin, today.
The Taoiseach said Mr Clinton served with distinction as a TD, minister and latterly as an MEP.
He said that as Minister for Agriculture he was widely regarded as having played a key role in the development of Irish agriculture and was a guardian of Irish interests in Europe at a critical time in the evolution of the Common Agricultural Policy.
The Taoiseach offered his condolences to Mr Clinton's wife, Dorothy, and family as well as to colleagues in Fine Gael.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Noonan, who attended the removal of Mr Clinton's remains from Peamount Hospital to Rathcoole yesterday evening, said he heard of the death with deep regret.
"Mark was a much honoured member of Fine Gael who dedicated his life to politics at both national and European level," he said.
Mr Noonan said Mr Clinton had "presided over an agricultural revolution in Ireland" as Minister for Agriculture in the mid 1970s.
He too extended his and his party's sympathy to Mrs Dorothy Clinton and their extended family.
Mr Clinton entered the Dβil in 1961 and was Fine Gael spokesman on local government.
When the Fine Gael/Labour Party coalition government was formed in 1973, he became Minister for Agriculture.
In that position, he steered Irish agriculture through the formative years of EEC membership.
During his ministry, the volume of milk output increased by 33 per cent; cattle output by 11 per cent and the net volume of agricultural exports grew by 15 per cent.
Mr Clinton was a close associate and friend of former Taoiseach Mr Liam Cosgrave.
When Mr Cosgrave resigned as leader of Fine Gael and was replaced by Dr Garret FitzGerald, Mr Clinton declined to serve on the new front bench.
Instead, he decided to make his political future in Europe.
He was elected an MEP in 1979 and decided to retire from the Dβil in 1981.
He served for 10 years as an MEP, and became a vice-president of the European Parliament.