Tánaiste Brian Cowen has told the Dáil the Taoiseach is giving evidence to the Mahon tribunal "truthfully" and has accused Fine Gael of conducting a witch-hunt against Mr Ahern.
Mr Cowen came under renewed pressure in the Dáil this morning when he fielded questions on the issue, while Mr Ahern continued overseas business.
Brian Cowen
The Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny asked Mr Cowen: "Deputy [Frank] Fahey of Fianna Fáil said the Mahon tribunal was involved in a witch-hunt against Bertie Ahern. Do you believe this Brian Cowen?"
"No, Fine Gael are the ones conducting the witch-hunt and the tribunal itself isn't being helped by the continued evaluation and discussion in here day by day," Mr Cowen responded.
"The Tribunal itself has said it isn't helped in its work by this continuing evaluation. It affects the perception of fair play that they are seeking to uphold," he added.
Mr Kenny asked Mr Cowen if he believed the Taoiseach's evidence about his financial affairs. Mr Cowen responded by saying: " The Taoiseach is giving his evidence truthfully the same as everybody else."
"His evidence will be decided upon by judges, not by you. You're not qualified or able to evaluate the evidence. We won't have political mob rule in parliament. All your efforts to distract this government will not work," he said.
Mr Cowen repeated that there was no evidence to support the allegation that Mr Ahern had taken money from property developer Owen O'Callagan.
Mr Kenny said the Tánaiste had accused him yesterday of jumping to conclusions and determinining peoples' guilt.
"I was merely asking you about facts that have come out of Bertie Ahern's mouth," he said
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said the "embarassment" of the Taoiseach's evidence at the tribunal was "distracting the Government from its work"
"Your replies to Enda Kenny and myself are beginning to sound like the chairman of a club expressing his confidence in the manager," he added.
"Ask Bertie Ahern to withdraw his legal challenge to the tribunal so they can continue their work without interuption."
Mr Cowen said the Taoiseach was entitled to mount a legal challenge, saying he had the same right as "any other citizen" to defend himself.
Mr Gilmore said Bertie Ahern's days as Taoiseach were numbered.
"Everyone in the country knows the issue now is whether his leaving will be long and painful or whether you'll do something about it. The sooner you act and knock on his door and tell him the game is up the better," he said.
Mr Cowen replied that if he ever needed advice on tactics to use in a coup, he would "knock on Mr Gilmore's door."
"If we're to serve people propertly we need to let the Tribunal get on with its job," he said
Mr Ahern was not in the Dáil because he is in Austria on official business.
During bitter exchanges yesterday the Tánaiste insisted that Mr Ahern's leadership is not in question and that he has the confidence of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
However, Mr Cowen was strongly attacked by Mr Kenny, who said he was "now a willing accomplice in Mr Ahern's deceit" before the Mahon tribunal.
The Fine Gael leader also repeatedly compared Mr Ahern to former taoiseach, Charles J Haughey: "That is the standard. It is now perfectly obvious that what happened in the Haughey era is being replicated in the Ahern era. The sins of the master are replicated by the pupil," he told the Dáil.
