SENIOR CABINET figures, including Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, have offered strongly worded support to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern following further Dáil clashes yesterday between the Tánaiste, Brian Cowen, and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
Fears among Fianna Fáil TDs have eased amidst their repeated claims that they have not met with a significant negative public backlash to last week's disclosure that Mr Ahern's former partner, Celia Larkin, received a loan of £30,000 from Fianna Fáil to buy a house in 1994 that remained unpaid until 2008.
However, perhaps significantly, one Minister has begun to take soundings from backbenchers about their private opinions on Mr Ahern's standing.
In the Dáil, Mr Cowen defended Mr Ahern in stronger terms than he had done the previous day.
"In case he is under any misapprehension, I want to make it clear to Deputy Kenny that the Taoiseach is giving his evidence truthfully, the same as other people, at the tribunal.
"The evaluation of that evidence will be decided upon by the judges who have been appointed by the Oireachtas, not by the deputy who is neither qualified nor able to evaluate that evidence."
However, he failed to answer Mr Kenny when he asked if Mr Cowen believed Mr Ahern, and he pointedly did not join the chorus of complaints made by other Fianna Fáil Ministers about the tribunal, where they have argued that it has been unfair to Mr Ahern.
The Mahon tribunal, he said, did not "in any way" regard Mr Ahern's High Court challenge to some of its questions "as a wrong thing to do, or a course of action that compromises it in any way".
"Unlike some members of this House, it wants to see an objective assessment and evaluation of all the evidence, with the full rights and entitlements of all those before it being respected."
He again sought to create division between Labour and Fine Gael by praising Labour leader Eamon Gilmore while being scathing of the capabilities of Mr Kenny.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael's decision to focus on Mr Ahern's Mahon appearances is beginning to irritate Labour, which believes the Government is vulnerable in areas such as autism and the economy.
Though strongly of the view that Mr Ahern should quit after he has given his address to the joint Houses of Congress in Washington, Mr Gilmore said: "We are not going to get away from the Bertie Ahern business until Bertie Ahern gets away from the office of Taoiseach." And he went on: "It would appear that the financial affairs of one man 15 years ago seem to be taking precedence of the other 4.2 million people today."
Speaking in Belfast, Dermot Ahern delivered the strongest-yet defence of the Taoiseach when asked if he fully supported him.
"I'm surprised you even have to ask that. Of course I do. I fully support the Taoiseach; I support him in his evidence. I believe him - more than I believe the star witness Mr Gilmartin. I never met the man but he told lies about me in the tribunal."
He added: "The Taoiseach has given this country, and not just this country, these islands, all of his life in public service. Some of the people criticising him are not fit in my view to tie his shoelaces."