Green Party: Taoiseach Bertie Ahern faces "a final opportunity" to explain three payments he received during 1993 and 1994 next week in the Dáil, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has said.
"On Morning Ireland on Tuesday I was asked whether the Taoiseach was fit for office. I said I would reserve judgment until he had a chance to explain himself in the Dáil.
"He refused to avail of this opportunity by curtailing speaking time. Since then it has become increasingly clear that the Taoiseach may not be fit for office," Mr Sargent said.
Demanding "a complete and detailed statement", the Green Party leader said: "He will have a final opportunity to explain himself and address the outstanding issues surrounding his political judgment. It is not good enough that the Taoiseach repeats to the media that he has broken no laws or codes. He needs to make a complete and detailed statement to the Dáil and then answer questions from TDs."
So far, Mr Ahern has "failed to reconcile his own position" with his previously expressed views about former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry that politicians should not be "financially beholden to any individual".
"The continuation of the current state of affairs is damaging both to the country and to the Government, and gives the impression that the Taoiseach can operate a double standard and act with impunity.
"His actions have undermined confidence in his leadership and brought the office of Taoiseach into disrepute. The Taoiseach now appears to be on his last legs," he said.
The Progressive Democrat leader and Tánaiste, Michael McDowell, he said, "has been forced to comment - belatedly - on the Taoiseach's crisis, but he lacks the moral authority to criticise the Taoiseach."
Mr McDowell has been "exposed to the same culture of corporate politics that Bertie Ahern has grown up with", and has refused to say if it was wrong to accept the Manchester monies.
"Until there is support in the Dáil for the Green Party's ban on corporate donations, Irish politics will continue to be mired in this kind of sleaze," he said.
