The Taoiseach and the Sinn Féin president have warned Mr Tony Blair not to provoke a deeper crisis in the peace process by getting tough on republicans in response to IRA activity.
Mr Tony Blair is expected to outline to MPs in the Commons next Wednesday how his government may sanction Sinn Féin in the event of any further violent incidents involving the IRA. Many unionists want a clearer definition by Downing Street of the validity of the Provisionals' ceasefire.
Mr Ahern made his views clear yesterday during a visit to Co Meath. Asked if he supported suspension of ministers or of the institutions set up under the Belfast Agreement, he said: "No, I do not. The important thing is that we continue to keep the institutions in place and to work our way through whatever difficulties are there.
"I do not accept or believe that the institutions are doing other than a good job. There are always tensions and difficulties."
Earlier yesterday Mr Gerry Adams also cautioned the Prime Minister against giving in to unionist demands for what he called a redefinition of the IRA cessation and claimed that pressure to do so emanated from inter-unionist rivalry and tensions within the Ulster Unionists.
He cited republican efforts to ease the sense of crisis within the peace process, referring to the Belfast Lord Mayor's act of commemoration for the dead of the Somme, the IRA apology for deaths of "non-combatants" and yesterday's decision to remove an IRA memorial in Co Fermanagh following local pressure.
"The incessant, insatiable demands that unionists have been making of the British government are a product of the inter-unionist rivalry and the crisis that this is creating.
"But both the British and the Irish governments are fully aware that there can be no breach of the Good Friday agreement without fracturing the entire basis of the agreement," he said.
Mr Ahern said: "I think whatever Tony Blair says [in parliament on Wednesday], next week should be about keeping things going successfully, but warning people that we do not want any violence." This is the current British position.
"The one thing that we should not do is create an unnecessary crisis," he added. "And while there are difficulties and some tensions I think they will be there for a generation and what we need to do is manage things as they go."
Meanwhile unionists stepped up pressure for a tougher line on Sinn Féin from Mr Blair. Mr Nigel Dodds, a Minister and MP for North Belfast, insisted the IRA ceasefire was bogus and added: "The Secretary of State must therefore take action against Sinn Féin and move to exclude them from their ministerial posts."
A well-placed political source at Stormont told The Irish Times that this week's IRA apology could be seen as an attempt by Sinn Féin to wrong-foot Mr Blair in advance of Wednesday. By issuing its statement the IRA could be trying to make it more difficult for the British government to take a tougher line against republicans when they were seen to be acting in a conciliatory manner.
Further intense political lobbying can now be expected in advance of Wednesday's statement by the Prime Minister.