The group of former Chernobyl Children's Project workers who strongly criticised Ms Adi Roche's nomination for the presidency last night appeared on the verge of disintegrating, with the group issuing what they said was their final statement.
It is understood the group spent all of yesterday deciding exactly what to say, with one faction wanting to drop the campaign while another group wished to continue highlighting what they believe is Ms Roche's unsuitability for the position. According to one source, some individuals may continue to issue statements but others wish simply to return to their normal lives.
Last night's statement, which was delivered by the group's spokeswoman, Ms Anne Norman, ultimately failed to deliver any further revelations about Ms Roche's management of the Chernobyl Children's Project. But the group did expand on its earlier allegation that an office memo in which she was highly critical of two FAS office staff highlighted Ms Roche's "volatile nature and her dark ages attitude to employees".
The group strongly denied it was orchestrating any campaign against Ms Roche, and reiterated that its intention was simply to put forward a side of her which the public was not aware of.
They denied having any connection with a political party and strongly rejected any suggestion that they were behind yesterday's media articles on Ms Roche's brother, Donal de Roiste, which they strongly condemned.
Meanwhile, politicians of all shades, and two of Ms Roche's opponents, went out of their way yesterday to condemn the latest flurry of allegations against her and her family.
The Fianna Fail candidate, Prof Mary McAleese, said she knew nothing about any campaign against Ms Roche but she described as "ugly" claims that Ms Roche's brother, Donal, was obliged to leave the Army because of his alleged republican sympathies.
"I have five brothers and three sisters and 60 first cousins. I expect the media should exercise responsibility with anonymous people coming forward with stories . . . Adi Roche is standing for election, not her brother. I have to say my heart goes out to her for the hurt she has endured. It is absolutely unconscionable," Prof McAleese said.
Ms Roche said in a statement that she didn't propose to dignify the spurious attempts to draw in members of her family, and incidents from her childhood, with any further comment.
For the record, she stated, she had a warm and close relationship with her brother, Donal.
The newspaper stories were designed to suggest some kind of hidden agenda. "So let me state that my brother's political views are his own and not mine," Ms Roche said.
The allegations concerning Ms Roche and her brother were also condemned strongly by the Labour leader, Mr Spring, Mr Ruairi Quinn, the Fine Gael candidate, Mrs Mary Banotti, the DL leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, and Ms Liz McManus of DL.
Meanwhile, the chances of Mr Derek Nally, the founder of the Victim Support organisation, securing a presidential nomination appeared to improve somewhat yesterday. Six councils - Clare, Louth, Wexford, Carlow, Kildare and Kilkenny - have joined Cork in deciding to meet variously on Friday and Monday to consider nominating him.
If Mr Nally secures the support of four, his name will be on the ballot paper on October 30th. An attempt by an independent republican socialist councillor in Clare, Ms Brigid Makowski, to nominate Mr Albert Reynolds also emerged yesterday.
It was not clear, however, whether Mr Reynolds, who was aware of her action, had consented to it - a necessary legal requirement.
The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will cosponsor Prof McAleese at the formal launch of her campaign tomorrow following the decision by the PDs yesterday to jointly support her nomination. ail.
Questioned as to whether PD voters would be asked to vote for Prof McAleese, Ms Harney stated that she would like to believe that they would. But, obviously, if people didn't wish to do so "I won't be forcing them", she added.