The Dail was adjourned for 15 minutes amid sharp exchanges between the Taoiseach and the Fine Gael leader on the leaked Department of Foreign Affairs documents.

Mr Bruton claimed that Mr Ahern had made references to him by name. "Could I ask the Taoiseach if he accepts that I did not leak any Government documents, did not authorise anyone to do so, and indeed in the case of the documents referred to could not have done so, because all my copies of these documents were left in the Department and are now in his possession, not in mine?"

Mr Ahern said he had noted what Mr Bruton had been saying outside the House, and added that the Fine Gael leader had been incorrect. There were no grounds for him to withdraw anything he had said relating to the controversy. The Taoiseach said he had made three comments on the matter, the first last Thursday night, when he had said that only a few people saw the documents. He had added: "I do as Taoiseach, and the previous Taoiseach also received the document. Perhaps the previous Taoiseach can explain that."

To jeers from the Fine Gael benches, Mr Ahern said he had nothing to withdraw relating to those remarks.

Mr Ahern said he had subsequently stated: "Very few people received the document. I did not receive the document last January, although senior people who were in office at that stage received the document. John Bruton said he received the document. I am sure he would clarify the truth to the country whether it was him."

The Taoiseach added that Mr Bruton had then made a statement saying that he had not leaked the document. "Then, naturally enough, I accept that," said Mr Ahern.

He said that he had received a letter from Mr Bruton on Monday which he intended replying to. Mr Bruton had said that he had not taken any documents from the Department and he had readily confirmed that was the case when he checked. Mr Bruton asked why Mr Ahern had not carried out the check before he had attacked him. Addressing the Taoiseach, Mr Donal Carey ( FG, Clare) asked: "Did you leak it yourself?"

Mr Ahern said that in his reply to Mr Bruton's letter he would be making it absolutely clear that he had not taken any documents from the Department. "But I will not be agreeing with the second part of the letter that none of your staff did," he added.

Amid uproar, Mr Bruton asked: "Are you suggesting, therefore, that members of my staff may have been responsible for the leaks?"

Mr Ahern replied: "No, I am not suggesting that . . ." The Fine Gael chief whip, Mr Sean Barrett, said that the Taoiseach had so implied.

Mr Ahern said that he was replying to Mr Bruton, in so far as it related to him, that he had not taken the documents. But it was then a matter for Mr Bruton and the Garda to follow up the matter relating to everybody. "I am sure they will be interviewing many of us in this House. They might be interviewing myself. They have already interviewed my officials . . . I am making no allegations . . ."

Mr Bruton said he appreciated the Taoiseach saying he accepted that he was not involved in the leaking of documents and would not authorise it and that he was not making any accusations about officials who had worked for him when he was Taoiseach.

"Could I ask him to consider again whether it was wise or proper of him in that context, therefore, to have named me in the context of the leaks? Would he not agree that by naming me he was being grossly unfair?"

Rejecting this assertion, Mr Ahern said he had taken the view that Mr Bruton was quite happy to use the leaks in allegations against a presidential candidate. "Weasel words," interjected Mr Alan Dukes (FG, Kildare).

Mr Bruton said he had not relied on the leaks for any comments he had made.

As the exchanges became increasingly noisy, the Ceann Comhairle adjourned the House for 15 minutes.

When it resumed, Mr Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he accepted that it was Fine Gael's intention to ensure that every co-operation was given to the Garda inquiry to ensure that no leaks took place. He added that he had checked with his staff who had worked with him as Taoiseach and they had assured them that none of them took the "green book" containing the documentation from the Department.

Mr Ahern said he accepted that Mr Bruton and his party would co-operate fully with the investigation. He said that he was not blaming anybody and he had no idea who leaked the documents. "It is a criminal offence, and I just hope that the Garda can resolve the issue."