The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today refused to confirm if a report into the controversial overcharging of nursing home patients over a 20 year period would be published before next week's by-election period.
Mr Ahern said that the document was due shortly and that its author John Travers was anxious to complete it as soon as he could.
He said: "The Government will have to discuss it and consider it. The Government is committed to publishing it."
When asked by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte if it would be put into the public domain before the Meath and Kildare North polls on March 11 Mr Ahern said: "Maybe before."
Mr Rabbitte described the overcharging scandal as "the biggest debacle in the history of public administration in Ireland.
"It certainly rivals anything we have seen before."
Legislation to legalise retrospectively the charging of fees to patients in public nursing homes was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in January.
The state now faces a multi-million euro bill to compensate affected patients and their families.
PA