The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, is holding open the possibility of visiting the North on Thursday to take part in round-table talks with the pro-agreement parties, according to British government sources.
However, as of last night there appeared to be considerable uncertainty in Dublin, with plans for the Taoiseach to fly to Japan on the same day proceeding. Mr Ahern was last night still scheduled to fly to Tokyo on Thursday at the start of a weeklong trip to Japan and the United States.
A spokeswoman for the Taoiseach said his departure plans might be reviewed in the event of round-table talks being called for Thursday. An outbreak here of foot-and-mouth disease would also force a review of the trip.
The Taoiseach's schedule would see him flying on from Japan to the US for St Patrick's Day functions and talks on Northern Ireland in Washington.
British government sources insisted any visit by Mr Blair did not mean a "miracle deal" to end the political deadlock was imminent. British and Irish officials will meet in Downing Street today in an attempt to chart political progress and make arrangements for the visit.
Round-table talks had been expected in the North today but sources said the lack of agreement between the parties would have made them pointless. "The Prime Minister is likely to visit for discussions on Thursday. He is very keen to maintain the political momentum and he knows time is running out," a British government source said.
"However, no one should jump to the conclusion that it has all been sorted out and Tony Blair is merely arriving to rubber-stamp a deal."
Sources in Dublin were also pessimistic about a comprehensive breakthrough. "There have been intensive discussions in recent weeks but it is difficult to see an all-encompassing deal being reached on decommissioning, policing, demilitarisation and the full operation of the institutions.
"That may mean an intermediate deal - something that will get us over the current crisis, get us over the elections and through the summer," a Government source said.
It is understood Mr Blair will hold individual discussions with the parties and a round-table meeting during his visit.
Sources said he was not likely to remain in the North for further talks on Friday, when he is due to deliver the keynote speech at the British Labour Party's Scottish Conference in Inverness.
The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, is appealing a High Court ruling that his ban on Sinn Fein ministers attending North-South ministerial meetings is unlawful.
His lawyers yesterday lodged notice of an appeal at Belfast High Court. No date has yet been set for the hearing. Mr Justice Brian Kerr ruled in January that the ban on the North's Education Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness, and Health Minister, Ms Bairbre de Brun, was unlawful because it was wrongly imposed to put pressure on the Provisional IRA to decommission.
However, the judge said Mr Trimble did have some discretion on nominations to the ministerial meetings. It is understood Mr Trimble seized on a key passage of the judgment which states: "I accept that the First Minister could not be required to nominate someone whom he regarded as unsuitable in the sense that that person was working against the implementation of the (Belfast) agreement."