Senior Fianna Fáil figures have condemned Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny's scathing attack on the Government and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today.
Describing his comments on the Taoiseach's tax affairs as "vitriolic", senior Cabinet members refuted the Fine Gael leader's attack claiming it was a "rush to judgement". Mr Kenny issued a strongly-worded statement this morning claiming Government ministers are constantly "being distracted and diverted" by what he said was "the circus of fantasy and fairytale" surrounding the Taoiseach's financial affairs.
In a statement delivered from Mr Kenny's Castlebar home, the Fine Gael leader said "the only person responsible for the difficulties the Taoiseach now finds himself in is the Taoiseach himself."
Mr Kenny called on Mr Ahern to give a "full comprehensive and truthful account of his personal finances" to the Tribunal. He said the Taoiseach should give "A "warts and all" confession which lays out clearly for the Irish people what amounts of money he received, who gave them to him and why they were given to him."
"The longer that Mr Ahern denies the truth to the Irish people the greater the damage will be to his political reputation and legacy when he leaves Office as he proposes to do in the time ahead."
The Fine Gael leader asked how Minister for Finance, Mr Cowen could sit beside a Taoiseach "who has misled the Dáil in relation to his tax affairs and has refused to correct the record."
He claimed the Taoiseach was using Mr Cowen "as an accomplice" to perpretate what he said was "a great deception on the Irish people."
He said if Mr Cowen did not act, he would bear responsibility for Mr Ahern continuing in office despite "the compelling case" for his removal.
However, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen issued a counter-statement this afternoon saying he was "not surprised at the vitriolic nature of Mr Kenny's statement."
He added that he "does not intend to take lectures from Mr Kenny on this or any other issue."
Speaking on RTE radio, Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said it was clear that evidence presented to the Mahon Tribunal had been "edited" by commentators and "specifically by the Fine Gael party before the Tribunal has come to any conclusions."
The Justice Minister said Mr Kenny "finds the facts himself and doesn't wait for the Tribunal to find the facts."
"The Oireachtas has entrusted this matter to the judicial arm of Government and I believe they should be left to get on with the job and deal with the evidence and make their findings," he said. Mr Lenihan said there was "a rush to judgement" on the issue and that these matters should be left to the Tribunal. In this morning's attack on the Government, the Fianna Gael leader was scathing of the six Fianna Fáil ministers who attacked the planning tribunal's line of questioning of Mr Ahern describing them as a "gaggle of Ministers lining up with their knives aimed at the Mahon Tribunal."
Describing the Coalition parties as "impotent and passive accomplices," Mr Kenny said he did not expect either the Green Party or the PDs to take action.
"Both John Gormley and his Ministers along with Mary Harney have now chosen to put their Ministerial seats of office ahead of getting clear explanations and accountability from the Taoiseach", he claimed.
"As a the country faces a range of serious economic and social challenges, the capacity of Government and politics in general to tackle these issues is diminished and distracted by the Taoiseach's behaviour."
Mr Kenny's attack is the culmination of a concerted four-day targeting by Fine Gael of the three Government parties.
On Wednesday, environment spokesman Phil Hogan claimed that Green Party leader John Gormley had flip-flopped on the issue. On Thursday, education spokesman Brian Hayes contended that Mary Hanafin's defence of Mr Ahern was disingenuous and confused. Yesterday, Dr James Reilly, Fine Gael health spokesman lambasted Minister for Health Mary Harney and her party, the Progressive Democrats, for alleged indifference, asserting that the party was now irrelevant.