Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has accepted that plans to transfer powers over policing and justice from Westminster to the Stormont Executive will not be achieved by the May deadline.
Mr Ahern yesterday spent an hour in talks with British prime minister Gordon Brown in Manchester, before both men attended yesterday's commemoration at Old Trafford to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.
Last night, Mr Ahern's spokesman said the meeting had been "very positive" and had focused on the plans to devolve policing and justice powers to Belfast in time for the May date set down in the 2006 St Andrews Agreement.
In a joint statement, Mr Ahern and Mr Brown said: "We stand ready to help the political parties as they work to complete the process of devolution through the devolution of policing and justice powers.
"It remains our shared view that the full implementation of all aspects of the St Andrews agreement is building the community confidence necessary to enable the transfer of these powers to take place.
"Having seen the huge progress made, we are convinced that the time is right for the parties to move forward and take the final steps towards full devolution and full normality," the two men said.
Despite this call, however, Mr Ahern's spokesman acknowledged that the deadline was not likely to be met: "They accept that there may be some slippage, but that should not be seen as a failure," he said.
Sinn Féin has consistently pushed for the handover of justice and policing powers to take place in May. However the Democratic Unionists and the UUP, citing a lack of unionist confidence, continue to insist that the time is not yet right. PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde told an Assembly committee last month his force was ready for the transfer of powers, although he saw an autumn date as being more likely than this May.
In the third meeting between the two men since Mr Brown became prime minister last June, they committed themselves to attending an international investment conference in Belfast in May. The occasion will be one "to demonstrate to the world that the peace and stability Northern Ireland now enjoys is here to stay", the leaders said in their statement.
Last night DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson contested the two premiers' view that the "time is right" for devolution of policing and justice.
"We do not hold to such a view while the IRA army council still exists, neither the funding package nor modalities are agreed and other issues remain unresolved," he said.
"If Mr Brown really wants to respond to the people, he ought to listen to their growing lack of confidence in the ability of the PSNI to address the rising rate of crime. Rather than discussing deadlines and dates, he ought to address the resource and other pressures which are having such an adverse impact on the operational effectiveness of our police service. That should be his priority."
He warned: "Ultimately, the decision to devolve the powers will be made by the Assembly, but not until we are satisfied beyond doubt that the circumstances are right and that there is the necessary confidence and support within the community."