Fine Gael has accused senior Government ministers of failing to take a stand over recent revelations at the Mahon tribunal about the Taoiseach's finances.
In a statement issued today, the party's environment spokesman Phil Hogan chastised ministers who he said were "fearless in their onslaughts" on the tribunal because it was seen as "chipping away" at the reputation of Bertie Ahern.
But the same ministers, he said, have remained "strangely silent" at revelations about the Taoiseach's finances made to the tribunal by his former secretary Gráinne Carruth last week.
This "silent acceptance amounted to collusion," he claimed.
“Collusion can be expected when public representatives are corrupt and venal. The historic tragedy we’re now witnessing is the collaboration of public representatives who are not corrupt and venal", Mr Hogan said.
The Fine Gael spokesman exhorted John Gormley, Mary Harney, Trevor Sargent, Willie O’Dea, Dermot Ahern, Eamon Ryan and Brian Cowen and Noel Dempsey to take action.
“Lesser men than Brian Cowen walked for lesser evidence against Charles Haughey," he claimed.
Referring to Noel Dempsey and the stand he took against Haughey, Mr Hogan asked:“Do he and his colleagues believe in the honesty and transparency and high standards they fought to install in the years after Haughey – or do they choose to ignore clear and obvious breaches in those standards?
“Do the politicians I have named want to be remembered in history as having had the courage of their convictions, or as having been bought off by friendship, loyalty and fear of losing power?
“By their actions we will know them. “By their actions – or lack of actions – history will learn the answer to that key question: “What – now – do they believe in, these honourable men and women?”, he said.