The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) should be brought in to investigate allegations that Sinn Féin is funded by the IRA's proceeds from organised crime, the leader of Fine Gael, Mr Enda Kenny, has said.
The allegations, were first made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, before Christmas to the fury of Sinn Fein.
Yesterday, the Fine Gael leader told RTE radio's This Week he had "deep concern" about Sinn Féin's funding, particularly since the Minister had insisted that it was linked to organised crime.
"People are going to be asked to vote in June for candidates, some of whom represent Sinn Féin. I believe that this serious allegation should now be investigated by the Criminal Assets Bureau."
He disagreed with fellow Fine Gael Mayo TD, Mr Michael Ring, who said he would be willing to serve in a coalition government alongside Sinn Féin TDs. "Michael Ring is our spokesman on social, community and family affairs. He does not speak for the Fine Gael party in relation to Sinn Féin," Mr Kenny said.
The Fine Gael leader's call to bring in CAB was sharply criticised last night by the Sinn Féin deputy for Cavan/Monaghan, Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, who demanded Mr Kenny produce evidence to back up his charge.
"Enda Kenny is repeating the false allegations against Sinn Féin repeatedly made by Mr McDowell," he said.
The Fine Gael leader's refusal to consider coalition with Sinn Féin had provoked "amusement" amongst Sinn Féin supporters, said Mr Ó Caoláin.
"It merely points to the failure of Fine Gael, as the so-called main opposition party, to provide any real alternative to the conservative policies of the Fianna Fáil/PD government.
In his attacks upon Sinn Féin last month, Mr McDowell said Sinn Féin had "deep and ongoing links to criminality" and that the party was "morally unclean".
Meanwhile, Mr Kenny reiterated that he would support President McAleese for a second term in office were she to stand as a non-party candidate.
He said Fine Gael's priorities were the local and European elections and he hoped Fine Gael would "take control of a number of county councils" after the local elections in June.
"Fine Gael have never been afraid to fight Presidential elections or any other election . . . In the event that [President McAleese] considered that she should seek a second mandate and offered herself as a non-party candidate, I would go to my own parliamentary party on the basis that we should not oppose that."
Mr Kenny addded: "We have no indication from Áras an Uachtaráin as to what the President wants to do"