The Dublin West TD, Mr Liam Lawlor, last night refused to comment on reports that one of the Taoiseach's closest political allies offered him £100,000 to support a £35 million casino development in the Phoenix Park.
Speculation as to who allegedly offered Mr Lawlor the money yesterday centred on two close associates of Mr Ahern. When contacted by The Irish Times, one vehemently denied the suggestions, which he described as rubbish. The second person could not be contacted for comment.
Mr Lawlor told The Irish Times he would not comment further on the matter and refused to say if he would name the alleged "go-between" at the Flood tribunal.
Mr Lawlor, who resigned from the Fianna Fail Party, told the Fianna Fail committee of inquiry that he received a request to meet an unnamed individual in the Berkeley Court hotel.
"He stated that this individual asked him to act as a consultant for the Phoenix Park project for a sum of £100,000. Mr Lawlor rejected this request. Mr Lawlor stated he was a strong opponent of the Phoenix Park casino proposal given the harmful effects of one-armed bandits," the report said.
The committee's report added: "When asked by the committee to identify the person he met in the Berkeley Court, Mr Lawlor declined to give any information about the individual."
At no stage did Mr Lawlor indicate to the committee that the person was connected to anyone in Fianna Fail.
The Sonas Centre casino was to be sited in Mr Lawlor's Dublin West constituency. The idea was eventually abandoned due to huge opposition in the area.
Fianna Fail sources were yesterday furious at allegations that one of the Taoiseach's allies offered £100,000 to Mr Lawlor to support the development. One source said that the report was designed to embarrass Mr Ahern and to deflect from other issues surrounding Mr Lawlor.
A spokesman for Mr Ahern said last night that the Taoiseach had opposed the casino development.
In a circular issue to constituents in May 1997, Mr Ahern said: "Let me make one thing plain. We will not have the conference centre connected with a casino good bad or indifferent. There will be no casino as proposed for the Phoenix Park racecourse site."
The former Fine Gael councillor, Mr Tom Morrisey, who has since joined the PDs, has told the Flood tribunal he was offered £30,000 to support the casino project.
Meanwhile, Mr Lawlor denied yesterday that he came under pressure from senior members of Fianna Fail to resign and insisted that the decision was his own.
However, the Irish Times understands that at least one senior party member spoke with Mr Lawlor and urged him to consider resignation before the inquiry report came before the parliamentary party.
Mr Lawlor admitted that he had been considering all his options. "Obviously I thought very carefully about it and concluded that resignation was the best option if the Government was to be allowed to continue with its business without distractions."