The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr Royston Brady, should not have described his colleagues on the city council as "clowns" and "pathetic".
With Fianna Fáil confirming yesterday that Mr Brady has sought a nomination to run for the party in the European election in Dublin, Mr Ahern shied away from saying whether Mr Brady's remarks were a resigning matter.
While Mr Brady's controversial remarks are seen by many in Fianna Fáil as an attempt to boost his media profile ahead of the poll, party sources said there were "mixed views" within the organisation about the wisdom of such a strategy. This was particularly so given the imminence of the election campaign, they said.
With Mr Brady failing to attend a council meeting on Monday and some of his council colleagues calling for his resignation, the affair is perceived by some in Fianna Fáil to be damaging for Mr Brady's credibility as a candidate.
The party's European election convention does not take place until the end of the month. But Mr Brady is certain to put be on the ticket with the south Dublin TD, Mr Eoin Ryan. Fianna Fáil has a two-candidate strategy in Dublin and no other figure has sought a nomination.
On Mr Brady's description of councillors as "clowns" and "pathetic", Mr Ahern said: "I don't think I would refer to any councillor in Ireland by those titles - if he did do that." Asked was it a resigning matter, he replied: "It is a matter for the City Council. I have enough to deal with."
