The Taoiseach has said he will be supportive of the work undertaken by the Patten Commission. Speaking ahead of today's publication of the report, Mr Ahern said he had been briefed on its contents.
He said he hoped "everybody would examine what is a comprehensive piece of work by an excellent team of people". He believed the commission, after much consultation, had come to a balanced conclusion.
Mr Ahern told reporters in Dublin that "people should not react today, they should study it. It will take time to implement it and it will be implemented, I hope.
"I am very grateful for the work of the Patten Commission. They have taken up the challenge of how the Good Friday agreement can work, how we can have policing in the normal sense as understood in the democratic world. We have not had that over these last decades."
The Taoiseach said the commission had done an extraordinary amount of work.
"It will, of course, have to be analysed and debated. People will have to look at it. I for one certainly will be supportive of what they have been working on," he added.