The Government will today reject Opposition demands for a full Dáil debate on the latest allegations surrounding plans to build the Quarryvale shopping centre in West Dublin in the late 1980s, though the issue will be the subject of a furious row.
The leader of the Labour Party, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, must follow today's expected personal statement from Fianna Fáil Mayo TD, Ms Beverley Cooper Flynn, with a statement of his own.
"It is absolutely essential that the Taoiseach should then also make a full statement on his knowledge of the events that have come into the public domain over the weekend," Mr Rabbitte declared.
Under the Dáil's Standing Order 43, Ms Cooper Flynn can be allowed to make a personal statement by the Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, as long as it is "personal, non-argumentative and does not lead to further debate".
However, Mr Rabbitte insisted that this would not be enough: "It would be absolutely ludicrous if Deputy Cooper Flynn were to be permitted to make a statement, but all other members of the Dáil were then prevented from speaking on this or related matters." Mr Ahern had come into the Dáil in early 1999 and answered "a limited number of questions" when the Gilmartin allegations were first aired, even though the planning tribunal had begun its work in 1997.
'There is no reason why he should not do so again tomorrow. I note that the Taoiseach has already chosen in a limited way to respond outside the Dáil to one report," said Mr Rabbitte.
The leader of Fine Gael, Mr Enda Kenny, last night chose to focus on the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell's state of knowledge, after the Minister revealed that he was aware that former EU Commissioner Mr Pádraig Flynn faced allegations over his tax affairs for some time.
"The revelation that the Minister for Justice has been aware for some time of the allegations concerning the tax affairs of the Flynn family demands further explanation from the Progressive Democrats, and in particular the Minister for Justice," said Mr Kenny.
"It is legitimate to ask how he became aware of these allegations, which are currently being examined by the Mahon Tribunal. Has Minister McDowell had sight of, or been briefed on, the contents of the Report of the High Court inspectors (appointed on application from the Tánaiste) into National Irish Bank? When did he learn of these allegations? What has he done about the allegations since he became aware of them and specifically did Minister McDowell inform the Taoiseach of his knowledge of these allegations?"
National Irish Bank has been given until the end of the month to furnish the High Court with some responses to the inspectors' investigation, in advance of the expected publication of the report in March or April, sources have told The Irish Times.