Fianna Fail last night denied any involvement in a smear campaign against the presidential candidate, Ms Adi Roche. A spokesman for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said he would be concerned if any Fianna Fail members were involved in such a campaign, but he had no reason to believe that anyone in the party was so involved.
The spokesman was responding to persistent suggestions in Cork yesterday that one of the party's TDs in the south-west had been involved in spreading allegations concerning Ms Roche's brother, Donal, and the reasons for his departure from the Army.
Last night in Newbridge, Co Kildare, Ms Roche, in the first formal speech of her campaign, described herself as the candidate of "the new People's Alliance for the Presidency" and sought to put controversy behind her.
She said the Irish people had a spirit - "Our spirit makes us proud and independent" - that prompted us to identify with suffering, to recognise injustice anywhere in the world and to reach out to help.
"That's why I don't want to be a president for the people. I want to be a president of the people . . .I want everyone who chooses a president to be a shareholder in the office," she said.
This morning Fianna Fail will formally open the campaign of Prof Mary McAleese, the party's candidate, who is also supported by the Progressive Democrats. Government Ministers and Ministers of State have been instructed to attend the event in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin.
Prof McAleese is expected to present her vision for the Presidency and to engage in a question-and-answer session. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, who did not cast a proxy vote for any of the three Fianna Fail candidates at last week's parliamentary party meeting, has been appointed director of elections. The party's general secretary, Mr Pat Farrell, will be deputy director.
RTE is to invite the presidential candidates to take part in one or more television debates, writes Michael Foley, Media Correspondent. Yesterday all four candidates indicated their willingness. Each will also be offered three three-minute slots for election broadcasts.