Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, the South Kerry Independent TD, has accused Fianna Fail of negative campaigning tactics in the Cork South Central by-election to get "this fellow from South Kerry off their backs for once and for all".
In an interview with Radio Kerry he said friends of his in Cork had alleged that Fianna Fail campaigners had asked voters to support Ms Sinead Behan so as to strengthen the minority Government and thus reduce the influence Mr Healy-Rae enjoyed in return for his support.
Mr Healy-Rae's allegations have been strongly rejected by Fianna Fail's director of elections in Cork, the Minister for Education, Mr Martin.
Asked if such allegations would lead him to reconsider his support for the Government, Mr Healy-Rae said it was an important time for his constituency and the Government seemed to be doing its best to sort out problems he had identified, but his support was totally conditional on its continued efforts for the benefit of South Kerry.
In response to the allegation, Mr Martin said he would never have authorised such tactics. The party was out to get Ms Behan elected to increase the party's strength in the Dail and nobody could argue with this.
The campaign was based on promoting Ms Behan as a very good candidate in her own right, Mr Martin said.
He said Fianna Fail did, of course, point out that the party was in a minority Government, but added that this Government was dependent on the support of three Independents. Such personalised campaigning was not engaged in and, if it did happen, it was done without any authority, he said.