Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Michael McDowell have both strongly denied claims that they had leaked information from the Mahon tribunal about the Taoiseach's personal finances.
In a welter of accusations and counter-accusations yesterday, the Taoiseach's brother Noel Ahern accused Fine Gael of the leaks. Mr Kenny strongly denied this and pointed the finger at Mr McDowell, who in turn rejected the claim and demanded that it be withdrawn.
The spat began when Minister of State Noel Ahern claimed Fianna Fáil was the victim of a malicious dirty tricks campaign which was aimed at damaging his brother, the Taoiseach. "I do not know who is behind it. I do not have evidence. We would say somebody in Fine Gael at very high level, but I do not have evidence of that," he said.
When this was put to Mr Kenny he reacted angrily. "This is a complete and utter shambles of a Government at the moment and they have brought paranoia to a new height."
He said that at the beginning of the campaign the Taoiseach had said he wanted to fight the election campaign on policy issues and not personalities.
"I accept the Taoiseach's word on this matter. I ask him now to accept my word. Nobody in the Fine Gael party is behind any leaks from the Mahon tribunal. Nobody."
Mr Kenny then responded to suspicions voiced by three Ministers on Sunday that Fine Gael had some role in the leaking of tribunal documents. "If they really want to know where these leaks are coming from they should point their finger of accusation across the Cabinet table," he said.
Responding to this, Tánaiste Michael McDowell said: "Well, I heard him suggest that I was the source of the leak, the leaks. That's wholly untrue and it's beneath contempt. It's utterly reckless as an accusation and it should be withdrawn by the leader of the Opposition." Mr McDowell added that he was leaking information to nobody. "I'm seeking information, not leaking it," he said.
Asked if Mr Kenny would withdraw his comment about the PDs, a Fine Gael spokesman said last night there was no question of any retraction. "Enda was responding to repeated smears from Fianna Fáil and the PDs. Maybe he could have chosen his words better, but we were not the ones who went to journalists looking for leaked documents, we didn't dangle the issue in front of the media and the public for three days so we have absolutely nothing to apologise for."
Meanwhile, in the last of the major manifesto launches, Fine Gael pledged cuts in income tax and stamp duty and extra money for pensioners, free medical cards for children under five and health insurance for those under 16 during a five-year period.
