A MAJOR ROW has broken out between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, just days before the latter is due to abstain on a vote of confidence about the Government.
It's after Fine Gael's chairman accused Fianna Fáil of "lying" in claims about the role of Tusla in the Maurice McCabe scandal.
Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald insists she only found out about Tusla's role last Thursday night - but Fianna Fáil says it informed her, 24 hours earlier.
If Fianna Fáil's account is true, major questions arise about why Frances Fitzgerald told the Dáil on Thursday lunchtime that she wasn't aware of Garda contact with any other state agencies (except GSOC) about the McCabe matter.
The Tanaiste today evaded reporters who were outside her Department offices in Dublin, seeking a response to O'Callaghan's claims.
But Fine Gael chairman Martin Heydon stepped up to the bat - and told KFM Radio in Kildare that Fianna Fáil must have been lying about its claim:
Fitzgerald says that while she knew the McCabes were meeting the Children's minister Katherine Zappone - who was discussing an apology over it - she neither asked about, nor was told about, the subject matter.
She insists she did not discover the role of Tusla until she saw it on Thursday night's RTE Prime Time programme.
This would also suggest that although the whistleblower complaints from McCabe and Supt Dave Taylor discussed an allegation of serious criminal misconduct, Tusla's role in forwarding these claims was not mentioned.
Zappone facing criticism over Cabinet silence
The row comes just days before a Dáil debate on a motion of no confidence, when Fine Gael will need Fianna Fáil to abstain, in order to stay in power.
The text of Sinn Féin's motion was released earlier this week.
Fitzgerald has already been under pressure for failing to explain why, although being aware of Zappone's meeting with the McCabes, not seeking to follow up on its contents.
Zappone is also facing heavy criticism for allowing the Cabinet discussion on the terms of reference to go ahead on Tuesday, without informing her ministerial colleagues about Tusla's role or the need to make sure it was inquired.
Enda Kenny was also informed of Zappone's meeting with the McCabes, but said he did not inquire about the subjects as the meeting was "in a private capacity". A spokesman later clarified that this meant the meeting was discussing confidential, sensitive issues.
Several cabinet ministers have told Today FM they are deeply unhappy that the cabinet discussion on the terms of reference for the Charleton Commission last week, without Zappone revealing Tusla's role in distributing false allegations of sexual assault against McCabe.
She says, however, that she believed the Tusla matter already fell within the terms of reference, and that because it was likely to have been included in McCabe's original whistleblower complaint to Fitzgerald, she was not at liberty to discuss it with cabinet colleagues.
Other former members of cabinet have rejected this explanation, and said the concept of cabinet confidentiality allowed Zappone to discuss such sensitive matters without betraying any confidence.
