The Government is still blocking Opposition demands to question the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, in the Dáil next week about his decision to appoint Mr Ray Burke as minister for foreign affairs in 1997, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Reporter
Negotiations between the Government Chief Whip, Ms Mary Hanafin, and the Opposition whips about the structure of the debate on the Flood tribunal report remained deadlocked last night.
Yesterday, Fine Gael withdrew all pairing arrangements with the Government until concessions are made, which will force ministers to attend Leinster House for all votes.
Up to last night, the Government was prepared only to offer two days of statements, with no time allowed for Opposition TDs to probe Mr Ahern's appointment of Mr Burke.
Describing the Government's proposal as "bland", Fine Gael demanded a three-day open-ended debate on both Flood and the deterioration of the economy since the general election.
The Government's attempt to narrow the debate stands in contrast with the one held in 1997 when Mr Burke faced Opposition questions after it was alleged that he had received a £30,000 payment.
Expressing "absolute dissatisfaction", the Labour leader, Mr Ruairí Quinn, wrote to Mr Ahern last night, saying that the Dáil had to be seen to respond to Mr Burke's "corrupt actions".
This need had been heightened by the "anaemic response" of Mr Ahern and Cabinet colleagues to "a report that is undoubtedly the most damning indictment" of any past or present minister, he said.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach acknowledged that he had been told in 1994 by Mr Albert Reynolds about Mr Burke's handling of the so-called "passports for sale" affair, when Mr Reynolds left office.
However, Mr Ahern said Mrs Nora Owen subsequently conducted a full investigation into the issue during her period as Fine Gael minister for justice between 1995 and 1997.
"The public record shows that while there were peculiarities about how the files were dealt with, there was nothing wrong with the process," said the Taoiseach.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Justice, Progressive Democrat TD Mr Michael McDowell, accused the media of engaging "in a feeding frenzy" following the tribunal's interim report.
Journalists, he said, were suggesting that the Progressive Democrats should quit over "what happened at the beginning of the last government": "The answer to that is emphatically no," he said.
Describing himself as "second to none" in his opposition to corruption, he said the Government could not "deal with every rumour that the media bounces between each other".
Privately, however, some Progressive Democrat figures are uncomfortable about being tied so closely to Fianna Fáil, and want copper-fastened guarantees that further problems will not emerge.
Speaking in Cork, Mr Ahern rejected rumours that a serving Cabinet minister accepted £80,000 in two payments in 1989 and 1992 from property developers.
He said that he had received assurances from the four ministers serving both then and now that they knew nothing about the matter.
Meanwhile, the Fianna Fáil Cork North Central TD, Mr Noel O'Flynn, urged unhappy backbench colleagues to cease their public and private criticism of Mr Ahern.
"What we need to do is stand four-square behind the Taoiseach. We need to convince people that Nice is important and we don't need to be deflected at this stage," he declared.
Labour TD Mr Pat Rabbitte said it was "a sad reflection" on the Progressive Democrats that Mr McDowell had directed his strongest attack against the media, rather than those condemned by the tribunal.
Fine Gael TD, Mr Gay Mitchell said the Progressive Democrats were prepared to accept assurances from the Taoiseach solely "to serve their own personal advancement."