The Minister of Transport, Mr Seamus Brennan, today denied receiving and failing to pay for €5,000 of cigars, whiskey and brandy from Aer Rianta during the 1990s.
Earlier the Taoiseach Mr Ahern confirmed that Mr Brennan was the politician at the centre of an investigation into the alleged non-payment by a minister of a bill for £5,000-worth of gifts.
Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, the Taoiseach Mr Ahern said he had been informed over the weekend by Mr Brennan that the Sunday Independentwas about to run a story alleging that a bill for £5,000-worth of cigars and spirits from Aer Rianta had not been paid.
Urged by Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny to reveal the identity of the Cabinet member at the centre of the allegation, Mr Ahern confirmed to the Dáil that Mr Brennan was the minister in question.
As Mr Brennan sat beside Mr Ahern, the Taoiseach read a two-paragraph statement by the beleaguered minister:
"I wish to state that to the absolute very best of my recollection, it being approximately 12 years, and in the strongest possible terms, lest there by any doubt, that I never personally received, authorised, or had knowledge of the ordering of, purchase, or delivery, of the alleged goods referred to in the Sunday Independentarticle, on Sunday last.
"I am hopeful that the full facts relating to this allegation will be established within days. I reiterate that when the reports are available I will publish those details immediately."
Mr Ahern said he hoped the results of the inquiry being conducted by the Secretary General at the Department of Transport would made known "later on this week at the latest".
Opposition pressure had been growing on Mr Brennan to categorically deny any role in the affair, since claims were made in the Sunday Independent at the weekend.
Yesterday, he refused to confirm or deny he was the senior politician at the centre of the allegations.
Pressed whether it was he who, as minister for transport and tourism in 1992, received the luxury goods, Mr Brennan replied: "I don't know from reading the piece [in a Sunday newspaper] whether it is one minister, or 10 ministers or over what period it is."
Yesterday, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste said they were satisfied there is no conflict of interest involved in Mr Brennan's Department carrying out an inquiry into the matter.
"We don't accept that there is a conflict of interest, as the secretary general of a Department is impartial and should be allowed to investigate a matter at the request of a minister," a spokeswoman for the Taoiseach said.
The Tánaiste said through a spokesman she was "satisfied that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the matter".
Aer Rianta announced yesterday it had ordered its company secretary and the head of internal audit to conduct an inquiry into the article published in the Sunday Independent. The company refused to make any further comment.