The row over the name of the west Kerry Gaeltacht town of An Daingean, formerly known officially as Dingle, is continuing.
Yesterday, the group lobbying for the retention of the name An Daingean said that it was treating "with a large packet of salt" claims by Independent TD Jackie Healy-Rae that the Taoiseach had agreed to reinstate the name Dingle.
Cllr Michael Healy-Rae, son of the Independent TD and his director of elections, said this week that the name change was a key part of an agreement guaranteeing the TD's support for the Government.
Cllr Healy-Rae indicated that the Taoiseach was involved in the matter.
"The Taoiseach has given an undertaking that it [ the official name of the town] is going to be changed from An Daingean to Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis, in accordance with the wishes of the people. This agreement has been signed by Mr Ahern," Cllr Healy-Rae said.
An overwhelming majority of people living in the area voted for Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis as their preference for the name in a plebiscite last September.
The county council asked former environment and local government minister Dick Roche to change the name. However, Mr Roche left office without signing an order.
Yesterday, Feargal MacAmhlaoibh, spokesman for Todhchaí na Gaeltachta, said that the Independent TD's claim was "totally without substance".
He called on Mr Healy-Rae to "now publish through the media any written agreement he claims to have reached on the matter, or on any other matter, as has been the case with the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats".
Road signs in the area continue to be painted over with the name "Dingle" - removed from the signs last year - and there is bitter division on the matter, which has festered since the introduction by Minister for the Gaeltacht Éamon Ó Cuív of the Placenames Order of the Official Languages Act 2003.
Todhchaí na Gaeltachta believes that the Taoiseach could not give such an undertaking, as it would involve amending the Official Languages Act 2003 through both Houses of the Oireachtas.
"Todhchaí na Gaeltachta are in communication with Ministers Ó Cuív and Gormley in an effort to sort out this dispute and to defuse the tension it has caused within the west Kerry community, which is doing nothing for the economy or culture of the area," Mr MacAmhlaoibh said.