The people will decide on the forthcoming statement the Taoiseach is due to make about his finances, Tánaiste and Progressive Democrats leader Michael McDowell said today.
Despite his predecessor, Mary Harney, giving Mr Ahern her backing yesterday, Mr McDowell refused under repeated questioning from reporters today to express confidence in the Taoiseach.
Mr McDowell discussed the issue with Mr Ahern en route to Belfast yesterday and Ms Harney later said: "If I didn't have confidence in the Taoiseach then I wouldn't remain a member of his Government."
However, Mr McDowell today refused to give Mr Ahern a clear endorsement and said that unlike Opposition parties who were "running like scalded cats from this issue", the PDs were demanding accountability.
"It will be for the Irish people to judge whether they are satisfied with the responses he gives. If he does give satisfactory responses, of course that will have implications both for the election and for the future formation of government.
"Having asked him to make a statement it would be very foolish of me to start saying in advance of it what my position was or was not in relation to it."
Mr McDowell said he did not know when the statement would be made but that Mr Ahern deserved "elbow room".
Mr Ahern today refused to give a date for the statement.
Speaking at the National Museum at Collins Barracks in Dublin, the Taoiseach said: "I said I'd make it sometime during the campaign and it's basically a question of putting it all together, but I certainly will do it during the campaign."
Asked if it would be within the next couple of days, Mr Ahern said: "It's impossible to say ... I just have to grapple with it ... put it together as well as campaigning."
Asked by a journalist whether he believed the PDs were "blowing hot and cold", the Taoiseach deflected the question and then raised the issue of corporation tax, the subject of the Fianna Fáil election campaign for today.
"I just deal with these issues as they are. I mean...what I'm more anxious to do is be out with the people, what they are asking about the issues," Mr Ahern said.