The radio advertisements for Ireland on Sunday, featuring rumours about the private life of Mr Bertie Ahern, are believed to have come as a surprise to the Taoiseach's Department and the Fianna Fail press office. Insiders are adamant that there was no media strategy in place to deal with rumours that have been in circulation for some time.
Even though Mr Ahern gave a briefing to two reporters writing a biography of him that included a denial of rumours about his former wife, Ms Miriam Ahern, and his partner, Ms Celia Larkin, Fianna Fail sources claimed yesterday it was not expected that this would be the main focus of the book or coverage of it.
Ireland on Sunday is serialising the biography of Mr Ahern by Ken Whelan and Eugene Masterson. Yesterday newspapers carried stories about Mr Ahern's denial following a question-and-answer session with reporters at the Ogra Fianna Fail conference in Killarney on Saturday.
"Angry Taoiseach hits out at new divorce frenzy," it said on page one of the Sunday Independent, and in the Sunday Tribune: "Ahern slams frenzy over his privacy".
The decision to talk about these issues to Mr Whelan and Mr Masterson was taken by Mr Ahern alone, Fianna Fail sources insist. The issue was raised by reporters, not by Mr Ahern, when he spoke to the press on Saturday.
Why would there be a strategy? Fianna Fail sources ask. Mr Ahern is popular and the polls show there is little interest in his private life.
However, public relations sources are sceptical of claims that the Taoiseach simply responded to questions and no one advised him. It is far more likely he was able to use the fact that a biography was being written to bring to a head rumours that had been circulating for some time.
Until recently politicians and public figures could relax, knowing rumours about them, whether true or false, would remain just that. That has changed. The media are now more likely, due to greater competition and a more tabloid news agenda, to place rumours in the public domain, if legally possible.
Given the rumours were likely at some stage to be made public, the biography was an opportunity to control events rather than allow the media to set the agenda and the timing.
Mr Ahern is savvy enough to know that a biography would be a major news story itself. Both authors are reporters on Ireland on Sunday, so he could expect it to be serialised in the newspaper.
The biography and Ireland on Sunday might also have seemed an ideal way to deal with a sensitive issue. Ireland on Sunday is sympathetic to Fianna Fail. Mr Whelan worked in the Fianna Fail press office for a short time following the collapse of the Press group. He was also an industrial correspondent when Mr Ahern was Minister for Labour and knows him.
Now the rumours are out. Yesterday Fianna Fail sources were saying that it was all over now and that they were dead and buried. Whether it was good public relations or not, time will tell.