Tánaiste Brian Cowen refused to be drawn on the Mahon tribunal proceedings when challenged by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
Mr Kenny asked: "what is the Government's position on the Tribunals of Inquiry Bill which was on the Order Paper two weeks ago, but seems to have disappeared? Does the Tánaiste accept the Taoiseach's explanations as his previous evidence appears to be crumbling in the face of evidence being acquired by a tribunal? Does the Government intend to leave the Bill where it is until this module of the tribunals is completed?" Mr Cowen said that Bill's second-stage debate had resumed.
"The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has given full and unambiguous assurances that it has nothing to do with existing inquiries and does not interfere with them in any way, as the Opposition knows.
"It continues nevertheless to trot out the same old stuff in the hope that it might get a line in the newspapers. I do not intend editorialising on the tribunal's deliberations, although I note that the Opposition does so every day of the week," Mr Cowen said.
Mr Kenny asked if Mr Cowen believed Mr Ahern's evidence.
When Mr Cowen did not reply, Mr Kenny said: "we will not get an answer to that question."
