Fine Gael leader Mr Michael Noonan attacked the appointment of Mr Joe Burke as chairman of the Dublin Port Authority as an example of what he sees as cronyism in Fianna Fáil. The party rejected the assertion accusing Fine Gael of engaging in "gutter politics".
"Even since the election was declared, the Taoiseach appointed one of his closest political associates as chairman of Dublin Port," said Mr Noonan. "If that appointment was fully above board, why did the Taoiseach try to keep it under wraps, instead of announcing it in the normal way?"
Mr Noonan was speaking at the unveiling of his party’s "10 Point Programme for Good Government" in Dublin this morning.
Fine Gael aims to form an Anti-Corruption Commission to deal with cases of alleged corruption by politicians resulting from tribunal investigations, and a National Land Use Commission to deal with land rezoning in rural and urban areas.
"There is a tendency, assiduously fostered by the dark forces within Fianna Fáil, to assume that corruption is a thing of the past," said Mr Noonan.
"They would have people believe that cronyism and sleaze are hangovers from a bygone era, which today’s party has turned its back on. Nothing could be further from the truth," he said.
If returned to government, Fine Gael aims to ban all corporate donations to political parties. "All over the world, it is recognised that financial support from business to politicians is perceived by the public to have one purpose, the securing of commercial advantage. Claims that such donations are made from disinterested motives are simply not believed," said Mr Noonan.
Fianna Fáil Chief Whip Mr Seamus Brennan responded by saying Mr Noonan's comments were "a last desperate throw of the dice".
"Having lost all substantive debate in this campaign, Fine Gael now want to drag this election down to the level of gutter politics", he said.
"The fact is Fianna Fáil in Government has introduced more radical and comprehensive ethics reform than any previous administration. Fine Gael knows this and the electorate will not be fooled by today’s antics", he added.