Interference by the Government, and in particular, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was responsible for the failure of the Scotland-Ireland bid to host the Euro 2008 soccer championships, it was claimed today.
Opposition parties this afternoon said the Government's handling of the construction of a second stadium was the main reason for the bid's failure.
Green Party spokesperson on sport Mr Paul Gogarty said the "lack of a cohesive Fianna Fáil / PD policy in relation to stadia and dealings with the FAI, GAA and IRFU only served to damage Ireland's credibility.
"The Government's shambolic handling of the whole affair helped seal the fate of this joint bid," Mr Gogarty said.
Fine Gael spokesman on sport Mr Jimmy Deenihan said: "The lack of availability of the two stadia was a critical factor and the Government must take responsibility for the unsuccessful outcome. But for their interference with the FAI and GAA, the probability is that the bid would have been successful".
Labour Party leader Mr Pat Rabbitte also blamed Government interference citing the abandonment of the FAI's eircom Park project at the Taoiseach's urging as a particular reason for the failure.
"Eircom Park, which would have allowed for a more credible bid, would now be up and running were it not for the Taoiseach undermining it," he said.
"At the end of the day, UEFA has clearly decided that the Taoiseach could not be relied upon to deliver on the written commitments he gave this week," he added.