What began as a messy week for Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats is threatening to turn into catastrophe. Since Sunday, when the Taoiseach was first dragged into the whirlpool of Tom Gilmartin's allegations, the mood of Fianna Fail's backbench TDs has slid from concern towards consternation.
Confounded by the ghastly fallout from Pee Flynn's Late Late Show debacle, they return to Leinster House today to a Dail debate on the crisis with all the jollity of condemned men. "Its a bit like a guerrilla war. We're the regular troops, tramping along, waiting for the next booby-trap to explode," one TD remarked.
Like any family under stress, the temptation of the Fianna Fail kin is to lash out - at Pee Flynn for goading Mr Gilmartin in the first place; at Mary Harney for "going over the top as usual" by describing Flynn's position as "impossible"; even at their own leader for talking into every microphone put under his nose and providing an inaccurate account of his meetings with the property developer; and, of course, at the media "feeding frenzy".
"Bertie is a victim of his own accessibility," declared one TD. "There is a view that you must form a view within five minutes of the latest allegation being made. Bertie is answering five questions today, another two tomorrow and the 10 further queries that arise from them. What the hell is the tribunal supposed to be doing?"
Though most TDs had not returned to Leinster House yesterday, there was what one Fianna Fail deputy described as "an air of utter nervousness about the place".
"We are on a roller-coaster and we don't know where it will finish. It would appear that almost anybody who was around in the Haughey era could now be mired with controversy about donations. This is making people queasy," another deputy said.
TDs were happy to accept that their leader and Taoiseach was "not central to the machinations of Tom Gilmartin's planning operations" but his introduction to the mystery was threatening to destabilise them all.
"It is the first major credibility test for Bertie Ahern," the TD added. "It cannot be pushed to one side. This lunging from crisis to crisis will have a very negative effect on our performance in the local and euro elections."
If the worst came to the worst, there were three possible scenarios, one more hideous than the next - a general election, a change of government, a change of leadership.
Noel O'Flynn, TD for Cork North Central, was among the first Fianna Fail deputies to go on the record. Incensed at being tarred by the innuendo and aspersions now being cast on all politicians he would, he declared, pull no punches. He would state what was in his own mind and that of his constituents - Commissioner Flynn should resign.
"I'm not making any judgments on the basis of allegations in relation to Mr Flynn. But Padraig Flynn raised the hare during his personal appearance on the Late Late Show. He denies he received the money for political favours. The question must be asked: did Mr Flynn get the money mentioned in any other context?"
By his silence Mr Flynn was merely fuelling speculation in the public mind and the media. He owed it to everyone, himself, the public, the Government to give an answer "that would clear the air".
"In my personal opinion he should resign as Commissioner if he does not give a clear and unequivocal answer to questions being asked of him now . . . I am a first-term Dail deputy. I deeply resent the air of distrust and uncertainty that has been generated about me and all politicians in this country," he said.
But, what of the Taoiseach's handling of the affair?
According to Mr O'Flynn, Bertie Ahern is "the best Taoiseach we have ever had . . . he has my complete confidence".
Openly admitting to widespread restiveness among TDs, Conor Lenihan of Dublin South West said that "any crisis like this leads to a worry about the stability of the Government".
"I hope and know the Taoiseach will use the opportunity afforded by the new Dail session to clear up any misunderstanding that may be out there in the public domain about this whole controversy," he added.
Like many of his parliamentary party colleagues, Mr Lenihan suggested that the EU Commissioner had a duty to make a further statement - a clear one this time - about the £50,000 donation at the centre of Mr Gilmartin's allegations.
"He should make a statement about whether in fact he received the £50,000 cheque and what he actually did with it if he received it. If he does not clear this up quickly he will cause grave damage to those who served alongside him in Fianna Fail in government," he added.
In spite of the spooky feelings that haunted the ranks of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats, Opposition TDs were not excited by the prospect of a general election.
It would be nicer to indulge in the ultimate Opposition fantasy. Picture this, said one Fine Gael figure: a combination of Labour (new) and Fine Gael would make up 76 seats, exactly the same number as Fianna Fail.
What if the PDs jumped ship, crossed the floor, joined Fine Gael, Labour and a few Independents to form a brand new government without having to hassle the electorate?
Perfect.
Alas, it is but a Fine Gael dream. The Labour Party leader, Ruairi Quinn, has said there must be another general election before the formation of the next government.
Meanwhile, there is much to be done to survive in the battleground that Leinster House has become in recent days.