Fianna Fail deputies would support a motion of No confidence in Minister for Health Mary Harney if given a free vote by party chiefs, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore claimed tonight.
Speaking in the Dail just hours before the motion brought forward by Labour is debated, Mr Gilmore said the public no longer had faith in Ms Harney after her handling of the breast cancer crisis.
Fianna Fail backbenchers have reportedly been warned that they either support the Government in the debate tonight and subsequent vote tomorrow, or face expulsion from the party.
But Taoiseach Mr Ahern retorted that if a free vote was permitted for Labour deputies, the majority would support Ms Harney. Mr Gilmore said: "Frankly, if you were to give your deputies a free vote on this issue in the House, I don't think there would be any doubt about the outcome.
"This house doesn't have any confidence in your Minister for Health, the public doesn't have confidence in the Minister for Health. "Let us have a free vote."
The no confidence debate is scheduled to begin at 7pm and comes after a fifth inquiry was launched into failings in cancer care services.
Mr Ahern has given his full support to Ms Harney and it is expected that the Government will win the confidence motion comfortably. However one Fianna Fail deputy, Cork East TD Ned O'Keefe, has said Ms Harney should resign.
The Taoiseach said: "My own view Deputy Gilmore if you had a free vote in your side of the House a large number of your deputies would vote for Minister Harney.
"That's my view. My view is you would be holding them back at the door." Both Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Sinn Fein's Caoimhghin O Caolain both supported calls for a free vote for deputies.
"The proposal to allow for free voting is the only way to allow members the opportunity to properly participate as members of their respective constituencies," Mr O Caolain said.
Fifteen women today attended a special breast cancer clinic in the midlands amid fears they were wrongly given the all clear.
Their cases are being re-examined as part of an inquiry into misdiagnosis at the Midland Regional Hospital after it emerged more than 500 women who only underwent ultrasounds were having their clinical notes reassessed.
A total of 364 patients were identified as not requiring follow-up treatment with the Health Service Executive (HSE) confirming 97 women had to be reassessed.