THE GREEN Party's refusal to comment on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's personal finances until the Mahon tribunal report is published will be queried at its national conference next month.
Green councillor Niall Ó Brolcháin yesterday said it was his "long-held view" that Mr Ahern should step down and said other members were growing increasingly uncomfortable about his tribunal evidence.
"It's quite clear that there are a lot of question marks about the way he has done his business in the past.
"I do not think it's appropriate for a Taoiseach over which there are so many question marks to stay in office," he said.
Mr Ó Brolcháin, a member of Galway City Council, says his views on Mr Ahern are shared by most members.
He said he would "not be surprised" if there are motions about Mr Ahern's tribunal evidence at the conference, which begins on April 11th in Dundalk, Co Louth.
"I think a lot of questions will be asked at the conference about the (tribunal evidence) and about continuing to support Bertie Ahern," he said.
"People are beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable. I have no doubt that this will be expressed in one form or another at the conference."
Mr Ó Brolcháin was one of the Green councillors predicted to make a breakthrough at last year's general election, but he failed to win a seat in the five-seat Galway West constituency.
He currently works as a researcher and adviser for the party at its head office in Dublin.
He said his sense of discomfort was "a creeping thing" which had been added to by the evidence of Mr Ahern's former secretary Gráinne Carruth last week.
He said the evidence was becoming increasingly difficult.
"Dan Boyle has stated that Bertie Ahern should set a date. Most people in the Green Party, if not all, would be of that view," he said.
However, Mr Ó Brolcháin also pointed out that the Green Party went into government to push through its programme, not to support Bertie Ahern.
He said he recognised the party's position that Fianna Fáil has the right to choose its own leader in its own way and in its own time.
"We have consistently said that we will await the outcome. It must be pointed out that trial by media is not conclusive."
Mr Ó Brolcháin said that the Green Party in government has had a consistent stance on the matter.
"Since last June, our focus is implementing the Programme for Government. We leave the other issues to the tribunal and await its report," he said.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach's spokesperson has clarified Mr Ahern's response to a question on Monday asking him when he would respond to Ms Carruth's evidence.
He said that the Taoiseach had not responded to the specific query but had made a general comment that he would speak to the media during the week.
However, the spokesman said that since the election last year, Mr Ahern has maintained a position of not responding to questions about tribunal matters outside of the tribunal.
He said he would answer them only within the context of the inquiry itself.
Elsewhere yesterday, a second Louth Fianna Fáil councillor, Frank Maher, also said he should consider resigning this summer. Mr Maher said that no one individual was greater than the party as a whole.
It followed similar comments by another Louth-based Fianna Fáil councillor Tommy Murphy.
