The Adi Roche presidential election team is bracing itself for what it believes is a concerted campaign to force her to resign her candidacy before nominations close next Tuesday.
Claiming that the spate of allegations against her was designed to "stop me running", Ms Roche said last night she knew nothing of the latest reports that an unpublished tape reveals her berating a female worker attached to the Chernobyl Children's Project.
Dismissing the story as part of a "dirty tricks" campaign, a Labour Party spokesman said later that, in the course of her work, Ms Roche put memos to colleagues on tape and, on one occasion, left an angry message "telling someone to get their act together".
Anti-Roche activists in Cork were said last night to be taking legal advice about publishing the tape. They are also believed to be taking legal advice about publishing a statement which some of them believe - and hope - would destroy Ms Roche's candidacy by the weekend.
But Ms Roche signalled her determination yesterday not to be "bullied" into resignation. "I will not be bullied out of the presidential campaign," she said. "In fact, all it has done is shown me that I have more qualities and strengths than I ever suspected."
Speaking to reporters at an address in Dublin by the former UN secretary general, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Ms Roche said she would not descend to counter-attacking. It was evident from the public's "overwhelming" response that people were outraged at the "scale and venom" of the attacks upon her.
Mr Fergus Finlay, the Labour Party adviser and one of Ms Roche's campaign managers, said a strong element of "sexism" marked the campaign of criticism, adding that if characteristics of grit and determination were evident in a male candidate, they would not merit mention. Labour Party sources last night insisted there was growing evidence that the anti-Roche campaign was orchestrated.
Indications of a deliberate and planned campaign emerged earlier yesterday when it became clear that a number of anonymous letters were circulated to TDs in Leinster House containing a list of about a dozen names, addresses and phone numbers of people believed to have formerly worked for the project. It is understood that at least some of these included disaffected former workers.
Members of the Roche campaign are concerned at the incident, particularly since the letters did not arrive by post and staff at Leinster House are not permitted to accept more than five envelopes for Oireachtas members - implying that the mail may have been distributed by hand inside the building.
The former finance minister, Mr Ruairi Quinn, is chairing Ms Roche's election committee and her nomination papers will be signed by members of the Labour, Democratic Left and Green parliamentary parties. They hope that a number of Independent Oireachtas members will add their signatures to the nomination papers also.
Meanwhile, senior Fianna Fail sources said there would be no attempt to block the re-nomination of Dana as a presidential candidate. As county councils prepared to hold further meetings to validate her nomination, sources said the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, strongly believed that the party should not "under any circumstances raise a finger to block her".
Yesterday, Tipperary North Riding council confirmed its earlier nomination, thus apparently removing any doubt over her candidacy.
The Progressive Democrats parliamentary party is tonight expected to agree that Prof Mary McAleese should become the candidate of both Government parties. Prof McAleese is due to have discussions with the party after seriously conflicting views were expressed at Saturday's meeting of the Progressive Democrats' general council over whether it should support her or remain non-aligned.
The party leadership is expected to advocate that the Progressive Democrats should become joint-nominators along with Fianna Fail.