Tánaiste Michael McDowell has undermined the credibility of the Taoiseach's claim that he will not do a deal with Sinn Féin after the next election, Fine Gael enterprise spokesman Phil Hogan maintained last night.
"It is interesting that Mr McDowell does not believe the Taoiseach regarding the possibility of a future coalition between Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. He believes, like Fine Gael, that Mr Ahern will do everything possible, including the unpalatable reality of accepting support from Sinn Féin, to stay in office."
Mr Hogan was responding to a claim by the Tánaiste that the choice voters will have to make in the next election is which party will share power with Fianna Fáil.
"The electorate will have it in their power to grant that to my party, the Progressive Democrats. They may grant it to Labour. They may grant it to the Greens. And they may grant it to Sinn Féin," Mr McDowell claimed.
The Taoiseach has stated repeatedly that there is no question of Fianna Fáil accepting support from Sinn Féin under any circumstances, but Mr McDowell's comments have been seized upon by Fine Gael as proof that Mr Ahern's commitment is hollow.
"The latest outburst by the leader of the Progressive Democrats is a predictable rant. It has all the hallmarks of a leader who has had a close look at his options and is now facing the reality of political oblivion," Mr Hogan said.
"It is very difficult for somebody like Michael McDowell, with such a political ego, to face the reality that the Progressive Democrats will lose seats in the next general election and will be politically irrelevant to the formation of the next Government."