A bitter Dail row is expected today, as the Taoiseach reiterates his view that he cannot answer Opposition questions about countersigning a cheque 10 years ago which ended up in an account controlled by Mr Charles Haughey's financial adviser.
Mr Ahern will also be asked if he knows whether funds intended to pay for the late Mr Brian Lenihan's liver operation ended up in the same account.
The suspension of Dail business for an emergency debate will be demanded, and the Taoiseach will also be asked to publish the correspondence sent to him by the Moriarty Tribunal.
If these demands are rejected, the Opposition will pursue the issue on the Order of Business.
Last year a £25,000 cheque, drawn on a special AIB account in Baggot Street, Dublin, containing the State-funded party leader's allowance in 1989, was discovered in a Guinness & Mahon bank account under the control of the late Mr Des Traynor, who managed Mr Haughey's finances for many years.
Mr Ahern and the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, discussed the matter last August and agreed to refer it to the Moriarty Tribunal for investigation.
The Progressive Democrats' view is that the tribunal, rather than the Dail, is the place to deal with the matter.
A Government spokesman said last night that ordinarily the Taoiseach would have no difficulty in commenting on the issue, but he was precluded from doing so on legal grounds.
Mr Ahern has said that he sought, through his legal advisers, the tribunal's views on the public disclosure of facts relating to the matter.
It was the tribunal's considered view that confidentiality must be maintained so as to protect the constitutional rights of individuals.
Mr Ahern has said this legal view was supported by the Attorney General.
The Fine Gael front bench will consider the matter this morning and seek the publication of correspondence between Mr Ahern and the tribunal. However, it is unlikely that the Government will agree, insisting that it was private and confidential.
The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, wrote yesterday to the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison, informing him that he will ask for the suspension of normal business today to discuss: "The circumstances in which a cheque for £25,000, countersigned by the current Taoiseach and drawn on an account into which money voted by the Oireachtas for purposes of the Fianna Fail party leader's allowance was paid, ended up in an account used for the personal finances of the former Taoiseach, Charles J. Haughey; the reason why the Taoiseach did not disclose this matter or the fact that he was a signatory of this account when the matter of the Fianna Fail leader's allowance was raised in the House on September 10th, 1997, during the debate on the terms of reference of the Moriarty Tribunal; and the need for the Taoiseach to make a full statement to the Dail on the matter."
