The Taoiseach has insisted that he has given no commitment to four Independent TDs to hold an abortion referendum despite reports to the contrary.
And it appeared last night that the Independents have softened their demand to have a referendum at the earliest possible date.
Mr Ahern said yesterday that he told the Independent TDs at a meeting on Thursday that he could give no guarantee on a referendum until the All-Party Committee on the Constitution report on abortion was published and discussed by the Government. The report will be published on Wednesday.
The Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, yesterday called on the Taoiseach to state clearly and exactly his intentions on abortion. There was growing evidence to suggest that the Taoiseach's handling of the abortion issue had been devious and dishonest, he said.
The Taoiseach said the matter had not been discussed by the Cabinet. He said the Independents asked him if his wish on the matter was the same as it was in 1997 and he said yes. His position then was that it was his personal view, and that of Fianna Fail, that there should be another abortion referendum.
However, Mr Ahern stressed yesterday that he could give no guarantees until the matter went to Cabinet. "As far as the Government is concerned we can't do anything until we get the report."
Two of the four Independent TDs, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae and Ms Mildred Fox, also confirmed yesterday that no firm commitment on a referendum was given at their meeting this week with the Taoiseach.
Both TDs said Mr Ahern said if possible he would try to arrange to have a referendum before the summer.
Ms Fox told The Irish Times last night: "We were not promised a referendum but we did discuss a referendum at great length.
"In my mind he has never ever promised a referendum. We pushed him for a referendum in late spring or early summer but he said because the matter was so complex he could not guarantee that."
She said she would be happy once there was a referendum in the lifetime of the Government.
She said the Independents also told the Taoiseach that when the referendum was held it should not be shared on the same day with other referendums. This was an important enough issue to have "a day on its own".
This appears to be a softening of Ms Fox's previous position when she insisted a referendum be held shortly after the abortion report was published.
In July she told The Irish Times that Mr Ahern had "dillydallied" on abortion for long enough and it was time for him to "bite the bullet" and say what he intended doing.
Mr Healy-Rae said that the Taoiseach said he could give no guarantee until the matter was discussed by Government but that it was his wish that he would be in a position to have a referendum by the summer.