Fianna Fáil TD Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn will make a statement in the Dáil tomorrow on allegations that she helped her father, former minister Mr Pádraig Flynn, invest money offshore and evade tax.
Ms Cooper-Flynn said this evening she was "extremely concerned" by the allegations and that she had informed the party's chief whip that she would be making "a personal statement" to the Dáil tomorrow.
She said she was looking forward to setting out "the full situation as it really exists and not unfortunately the slant that has been put on by some members of the media".
However the Fianna Fáil Party looks set to resist Opposition demands for the suspension of Dáil business tomorrow to debate allegations.
The party's Ethics Committee is likely to consider the matter this week, but party sources said they may decide against taking early action on the basis the Mahon tribunal will hear evidence on the matter shortly.
In the Dáil tomorrow, Opposition leaders will demand a statement from the Taoiseach following the emergence of more details of allegations of political corruption from property developer Mr Tom Gilmartin.
This morning, Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny said the allegations "strike at the very heart of Government". He said it was "inconceivable that we should attempt to do ordinary business in the Dáil with this hanging over the Taoiseach".
He also described as "deplorable" the fact that documents and statements given to the Mahon tribunal were being leaked to the press.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Dermot Ahern, was also critical of the leaks and said Ms Cooper-Flynn was entitled to cross-examine people who alleged she assisted her father in tax evasion. "In all fairness, she should be allowed speak for herself and she will do so."
On the same programme, Labour Party leader Mr Pat Rabbitte demanded Dáil statements from both the Taoiseach and Ms Cooper-Flynn. He said the public was entitled to know what Mr Bertie Ahern knew about the alleged tax evasion and whether he took any steps to retrieve the £50,000. "If we can't discuss something so big as citizens not being equal before tax laws . . . I suggest that the Dáil's standing is grossly diminished."
Mr Rabbitte noted that the Revenue Commissioners recently said they had retrieved over €920 million in unpaid taxes. "This was not a victimless crime, this was a crime against people who were waiting on hospital beds or trying to get a remedial teacher in the local school," he said. "Now we find that it is alleged that there is a person who is a member of the parliamentary party in the Díl of Fianna Faíl who is engaged in facilitating tax evasion."
He said if the Taoiseach and Ms Cooper-Flynn don't make statements in the Dáil, "then the people will draw their own conclusions".
The Green Party today wrote to the Government Chief Whip, Ms Mary Hanifin, asking for a suspension of Dáil business for the Taoiseach to make a statement on his co-operation with the tribunal.
The Mahon tribunal is expected to begin hearing evidence within a month on Mr Gilmartin's failed attempt to build a massive retail development at Quarryvale, west Dublin, in the late 1980s, and what he says were demands for massive bribes from politicians and others. Mr Gilmartin is expected to say he met the Taoiseach several times concerning his plans, but he has made no specific allegation of wrongdoing against Mr Ahern.
According to Mr Gilmartin, he was thwarted at every turn by politicians and others seeking money. He says he gave £50,000 (€63,487) to Mr Flynn intended for Fianna Fáil but that his was kept by Mr Flynn; he faced a demand for €6.35 million outside a meeting he had with the-then taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, and other ministers, including the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern; and he faced another demand for €127,000 from former deputy Mr Liam Lawlor.
The outline of these claims has been in the public domain for nearly four years. However, after the recent circulation of witnesses' statements to up to 40 legal teams concerned with this phase of the tribunal, details of the statements were reported on TV3 on Friday and in yesterday's Sunday Business Post.
The Taoiseach will also face questions tomorrow from the main party leaders in the Dáil concerning a report that he has not provided to the planning tribunal documents that he said five years ago he would hand over.
A spokeswoman for the Taoiseach said last night that she would not discuss details of his correspondence with the tribunal, as it was supposed to be confidential at the insistence of the tribunal. She said: "The Taoiseach has fully co-operated with the tribunal and will continue to do so.