The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has rejected calls from the Opposition for him to further explain his decision to appoint Mr Ray Burke to cabinet in 1997.
"There's nothing more to be said about that. If you want to read why I appointed Ray Burke read the Dáil debates from 1997 and 1998."
He added he would not answer questions about the Flood tribunal report during Thursday's proposed debate on the matter, as he was "not actually party" to the report.
Responding to the controversy, the Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny accused Mr Ahern and his Government of abdicating their responsibility "by only allowing set-piece speeches" during the debate.
"Having reluctantly given in to Fine Gael's demand for a Dáil debate on the shocking findings of the Flood tribunal, the Government are now trying to avoid accountability by refusing to answer any questions about what they knew and when. The people want answers, not prepared speeches."
But the Taoiseach, who was speaking to reporters at the launch of a Dublin Inner City Community Policing Initiative in Store Street Garda Station said he was "in no position to answer questions" on the report "because I am not part of all of that, and every other report that ever came in front of Dáil Éireann was dealt with in exactly the same way.
"If there are any questions that anybody wants to raise, particularly about me, that I haven't answered before, of course, I will answer them in the conclusion of the debate because I am speaking late on the debate. But I cannot answer questions about the Flood report because I am not actually party to it."
He stressed his relationship with Mr Burke was not part of the Flood report. "I appointed Ray Burke in 1997, and in 1998, and I'm afraid it can't change because I didn't reappoint him and, you know, fire him since then."
Reiterating that the Flood tribunal was established "on my recommendation" and engaged in five years' of investigations, Mr Ahern rejected the claim that he was running away from giving answers. He added: "The debate isn't about me. The debate is about the publication of the Flood report. I'm not part of the Flood report. I am hardly mentioned in the Flood report so why should I be answering questions about the Flood report?"
The Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, said yesterday he had not received any information regarding alleged corrupt payments to a serving Minister.
His comments followed a call by the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, last week for anyone with such information - which had been reported in the media - to contact the Commissioner or another relevant authority.
