PD leader:The Progressive Democrats have warned that Sinn Féin involvement in a new government could affect relations with the Northern Ireland Executive.
Warning that a sizeable number of Sinn Féin voters could determine the complexion of the next government, Tánaiste Michael McDowell said he had spoken to senior DUP figures who said they trust Dublin "far more than others".
"If the Irish government was dealing with Sinn Féin that element of trust would go away," he said.
Speaking in Dundrum, Co Dublin, yesterday, the party deputy leader, Liz O'Donnell, said the potential contribution of Sinn Féin in an Irish government "would tip the balance away from the even-handed approach we have to have in relation to the powersharing agreement and Executive in Northern Ireland".
Asked if he believed the Taoiseach when he said he would not go into government with or take the support of Sinn Féin, Mr McDowell said: "I would like to believe that is his position, but I know if Sinn Féin gets sufficient votes in the next Dáil, and if that constitutes the balance of power, no matter what anybody wishes or believes, they would, in the last analysis, be linchpin in deciding who gets into government.
"I believe a sizeable number of Sinn Féin voters will determine the complexion of the next government in either a positive or negative way."
Mr McDowell said the choice now was not whether Fianna Fáil would be in government but who would govern with them.
He urged people to vote PD to influence the direction of the next government, or to vote Fine Gael to influence the direction of the next opposition.
He said recent polls showed a strong trend in favour of the Government parties.
The Tánaiste said there was a danger for voters tomorrow that they vote for one thing and get something completely different.
"Fine Gael voters may vote Fine Gael but strengthen Labour sufficiently to put Labour back into government with Fianna Fáil. That is what happened in 1992. A vote for Fine Gael could have unintended consequences - it could let the left back in."