The row over the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's personal finances continued yesterday inside and outside the Dáil and became even more bad tempered as Mr Ahern responded to questions from Opposition leaders and journalists.
Responding angrily to Labour leader Eamon Gilmore in the Dáil, Mr Ahern said at one stage: "Is Deputy Gilmore deaf as well as stupid?"
In the Dáil Mr Ahern insisted that he had thanked NCB stockbroker, Padraic O'Connor, for a €5,000 contribution in 1994 which he insisted was a personal loan that he had offered to repay.
He was responding to questions from Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny who said the credibility of the Taoiseach was being torn to shreds by contradictions emerging from statements he made in the Dáil and elsewhere.
Mr Kenny asked Mr Ahern if he still stood by the statement he made to Bryan Dobson on RTÉ's Six One News last year that he had thanked Mr O'Connor for the €5,000 contribution; that he had accepted the money as a loan and that that he offered to repay it.
"My position is as it was. It is my absolute belief that I thanked Padraic O'Connor in January 1994. I accepted the payment on a loan basis. As the Deputy knows, it was to pay the costs of my legal separation," said Mr Ahern.
"The loan never happened, so the 'thank you' cannot have happened," responded Mr Kenny.
Later Eamon Gilmore asked Mr Ahern if he would accept that what had emerged had further undermined his credibility and eroded his authority at a time when the country faced significant problems.
Mr Ahern's response became heated when Mr Gilmore asked him persistently when he would be giving evidence to the Mahon tribunal after Mr Ahern had said the dates listed were December 20th and 21st.
"Deputy Gilmore should stop interrupting and listen. I stated the dates. On the last occasion they changed six or seven times . . . The dates in the new year on which I will appear will be a matter for the tribunal."
When Mr Gilmore continued to ask questions Mr Ahern asked him if he was "deaf as well as stupid".
Earlier in media interviews Mr Ahern accepted that the use of false invoices as happened in the NCB case was wrong. He also rejected claims that he gave approval to the National Lottery to enter talks with Manchester businessman Norman Turner about becoming involved in plans for a casino in Dublin.
In the Dáil later Mr Ahern said: "Although it is not always easy, I do my best to show a civil attitude towards the media . . . Sometimes I am disappointed if they ask me a whole list of questions and when I take the trouble to answer them they just will not publish them, as happened this morning. However, that is life."
