In an indication of the Government's concern for the deteriorating peace process in Northern Ireland, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will this morning break off his holidays to hold a meeting in Dublin with the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume.
The move comes in the wake of Unionist indications that they may no longer be able to share power with Sinn Fein unless the party can explain the arrest of three suspected IRA members in Colombia.
The Taoiseach and Mr Hume are expected to discuss the stalemate in the process resulting from the IRA's decision to withdraw its offer to agree the modalities of arms decommissioning. The offer was withdrawn following the decision by the Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, to suspend the Northern institutions for one day.
It also follows a hardening of position by the Ulster Unionist Party which yesterday asked the United States government to "take steps" against the IRA over its involvement with the guerrilla army, FARC, which is heavily involved in the narcotics trade.
The Colombian police were meanwhile completing their interrogation of the three suspected IRA members arrested in Bogota at the start of the week.
The three men are in prison on remand. Colombia's public prosecutor's office said last night it would decide within a week whether to try or free them.
The security forces in Colombia believe the IRA is assisting FARC to improve its bombmaking expertise.
Sinn Fein yesterday attempted to distance itself from the events. The party leader, Mr Gerry Adams, is due to visit South America at the end of this month for what is described as a speaking tour.
The party also denied yesterday that one of the three men arrested in Bogota, Mr Niall Connolly, who has lived in Cuba for some years, was responsible for preparing Mr Adams's visit to the region.
Despite Sinn Fein's suggestion that none of the three men had any connections with the party, Mr James Monaghan is a former member of the Sinn Fein ardchomhairle. Sinn Fein said he left the party 10 years ago.
The third man, Mr Martin McCauley, from Lurgan, Co Armagh, has been a prominent election worker for Sinn Fein in Armagh.
Yesterday, the Ulster Unionist Party spokesman, Mr Michael McGimpsey, said the party had listened carefully to Sinn Fein's responses to the events in Colombia.
"All we have heard is the usual pattern of evasive answers and lame excuses," he said. "No one should underestimate the damage these developments have had on unionist goodwill towards sharing power with Sinn Fein.
"This is more than a setback to political progress. It is an indicator, if one were even needed, that republicans are not genuine about making peace. The people of Northern Ireland have no confidence in the IRA's ceasefire.
"It is time for Gerry Adams to come clean. Unionists believe republicans are talking about peace and preparing for war."
Later yesterday the UUP deputy leader, Sir Reg Empey, said he had contacted Mr David Trimble, who is on holiday in Austria.
They had decided to approach the Bush administration and ask that it take "stern steps to show that the United States will not tolerate an international terrorist and drug cartel involving Colombian rebels and the Provisional IRA . . .
"I am calling on the President to take stern measures to show democracy will not be held to ransom by Marxists, whether they are Irish or Colombian."