The Progressive Democrats have secured extra information about Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's personal finances which has raised serious questions about the PDs' future in the outgoing Government.
Late last night, The Irish Times could not confirm whether the new information about the financing of Mr Ahern's house was received in response to answers from Mr Ahern, or from other sources.
Serious discussions took place during the day between Tánaiste Michael McDowell, the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, Dublin South TD Liz O'Donnell, and other senior figures within the party.
A spokeswoman for the Taoiseach said she could not comment on whether the Tánaiste had asked for or received the transcript of Mr Ahern's interview last month with the tribunal.
"You'll have to ask him," she said, referring to Mr McDowell.
Earlier, at a PD press conference on health, Mr McDowell said he would have to "reflect" before deciding on whether he would need extra clarification from Mr Ahern in advance of signing up to any post-election coalition with Fianna Fáil.
"There is material now coming into the public domain that changes the position. I believe that there are a number of things on which I would want to reflect. I don't want to say more than that at this stage," he said.
His remarks, the significance of which was downplayed last night by Fianna Fáil, were agreed in advance with Ms Harney and Ms O'Donnell, before all three appeared together to launch the party's health proposals, The Irish Times has learned.
The PD leader's decision to express unease then about Mr Ahern's replies to date came only in response to a second round of questioning and after Ms O'Donnell had said it was being raised on the doorstep by voters.
Mr McDowell was heavily criticised last autumn during the original controversy about Mr Ahern's personal finances for first seeking extra information from Mr Ahern, then supporting him, and then seeking more information, before finally staying in the Coalition.
Last night, a Fianna Fáil spokesman said an opinion poll in today's Irish Examiner taken on Monday and Tuesday, which showed the party at 37 per cent, was "not too bad", particularly since polling occurred before Mr Ahern's explanation on Thursday.
The Examiner poll, carried out by Lansdowne Market Research, puts Fine Gael on 26 per cent; Labour on 13 per cent; Sinn Féin on 8 per cent; the Green Party on 6 per cent; the Progressive Democrats on 2 per cent, with Independents on 9 per cent.
Speaking in Longford, the Taoiseach said he believed Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats would form another alliance, despite Mr McDowell's comments, if it could get "the numbers".
He insisted that the only issue put to him during his meeting with tribunal lawyers concerned allegations that Cork property developer, Owen O'Callaghan had made payments to him to secure his support for Quarryvale, and not questions about his house.
Earlier, the Minister for Defence, Willie O'Dea, attacked the media for using information supplied in confidence by Mr Ahern to the tribunal which, he said, had been leaked illegally.