Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday denied taking money to Manchester in a suitcase in 1994.
Responding to claims in two Sunday newspapers that a former driver of Mr Ahern's, retired garda Martin Fallon, had told Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny in 2000 of witnessing such an event, Mr Ahern said: "I never took any money to Manchester in a suitcase."
Speaking to journalists at the launch of Fianna Fáil's economic election manifesto, Mr Ahern added: "Whatever money I took to Manchester was to get me an overnight in Manchester and to pay my ticket, when I didn't get it for nothing, to see Manchester United play."
Mr Higgins has subsequently reported what he had been told to the Mahon (formerly Flood) tribunal. The former garda was a relief driver for Mr Ahern in the early 1990s and subsequently, in 1996/1997, for Mr Higgins.
Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin rubbished the allegations saying it was an attempt to smear Mr Ahern before the election.
"The Taoiseach made it very clear this morning. The timing of the newspaper commentary on that yesterday and the news story itself tell its own story. I think it is timed to undermine and smear the Taoiseach prior to the election.
"It's very clear Bertie Ahern is the distinguishing factor - he's way above any other party leader in terms of popularity. He's very effective in terms of the Fianna Fáil position and has been over the last decade," he said in an interview on Newstalk.
Mr Martin said any smear campaign might have an unwanted effect: "I can see why the Opposition might want to take him down and do everything they possibly can to undermine him. I suspect it may have the opposite impact."
Meanwhile, Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton told Newstalk there were no Fine Gael dirty tricks in the story.
"This is an allegation that was brought to Jim Higgins some long time ago. It was reported to the tribunal and as far as we're concerned it's being handled by the tribunal. That is the issue. There's nothing underhand and we're content to let the tribunal deal with it."