Fianna Fáil will not form a minority administration in any way dependent on Sinn Féin after the general election this year, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said.
On Sunday, Mr Ahern said that while Fianna Fáil would not do any deals with Sinn Féin, it would not be reasonable for any party to say it would not take support offered from others if no deal was struck.
"I don't think it would be reasonable for somebody to go in and say that you wouldn't take support from a party," he said then. "We will not, in Fianna Fáil, enter into coalition discussions or a pact with Sinn Féin."
The comments led to accusations on Sunday and again yesterday from Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny that Mr Ahern had abandoned his 2005 declaration that he would go into opposition rather than rely on Sinn Féin.
Despite Mr Ahern's statement on Sunday, the Government spokeswoman said he had not changed his position and that Fianna Fáil would not form a government if that could only be done with Sinn Féin backing.
"He is not going to form a government on the basis of Sinn Féin support. He stated that quite clearly previously that he would go into opposition before he would go into government with Sinn Féin [ support]. It is disappointing that Mr Kenny sought to misconstrue his remarks, notwithstanding the fact that this is a very difficult time in the peace process," she told The Irish Times.
Tánaiste and Progressive Democrats leader Michael McDowell also insisted that Mr Ahern's comments on Sunday represented no departure from the policy shared by Fianna Fáil and the PDs.
Mr McDowell, who is in Los Angeles meeting police chiefs, said Mr Ahern had consistently ruled out forming a government that depended on Sinn Féin for its survival.
Mr Kenny, however, said "the record of the Taoiseach in doing side deals with Sinn Féin and the IRA leads you to believe that you can't believe him on this issue".
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said yesterday that Mr Ahern "would have to change his policies before he would get our support. The health services are in an absolute and complete mess."
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said Mr Ahern had "opened the door" to Fianna Fáil being dependent upon Sinn Féin and that he had reversed "his solemn pledge to go into opposition rather than rely" on them.
"Fianna Fáil is attempting to portray as reasonable that Mr Ahern would accept the support of Sinn Féin deputies in order to get back into government. But the other side of that 'reasonable' coin is that [ he] would then be dependent on Sinn Féin. The question is, will he be reliant on them to govern?"