The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, declined to confirm or deny that he told the Fine Gael leader he could "finger" up to nine politicians who had received donations as large as the £30,000 made to Mr Ray Burke. Ms Roisin Shortall (Labour, Dublin North West) said that the conversation was in the public arena, given that it had been reported by The Irish Times.

"Given the implications of these comments, and the report, for the political system generally, I would like to ask the Taoiseach to confirm or deny that he made them to Deputy Bruton."

The Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison, said that the matter could not be raised on the Order of Business, adding that the proposed planning tribunal would be debated in the House next week.

Ms Shortall insisted that because of the implications of the comments for the political system, it was incumbent on the Taoiseach to either confirm or deny that he made them.

Mr Pattison repeated that the matter was not relevant to the Order of Business.

"Can we draw inferences from the absence of any denial?" Ms Shorthall asked. Mr Ahern remained silent. Earlier, the Labour leader, Mr Dick Spring, asked Mr Ahern if he intended to give evidence to the planning tribunal personally or to make a statement to the House relating to his reported remarks to Mr Bruton.

The Taoiseach said it was vital that the Taoiseach and the leader of the opposition parties in the House could from time to time have private discussions.

"I had, as I said here in the last two days, no direct information on anybody. That was the source of the discussion. I don't make a habit of making private discussions public. I don't think it is good practice."

Mr Bruton asked Mr Ahern if he was aware that a Fianna Fail Minister of State, Mr Willie O'Dea, had issued a public invitation to him to state why he had gone to the Taoiseach about the matter and had drawn a number of "malicious and false" interpretations from the fact that he had done so. "It is only because of Deputy O'Dea's malicious and false constructions on my conversation with the Taoiseach that it was necessary for me to go public on what the Taoiseach had actually said to me when he said he could finger five to nine people."

Mr Pat Rabbitte (DL, Dublin South West) remarked:"You are not supposed to take any notice of Willie."