Tanaiste visits Laois/Offaly

Tanaiste Mary Harney has completed a day of campaigning after hopefully putting the Magill affair behind her.

The Tanaiste turned up in Laois/Offaly today to promote her Progressive Democrat candidate and former IFA leader, Tom Parlon.

The Progressive Democrats have described an article in Magill magazine as a character assassination of their party leader.

Speaking at a press conference in Dublin, PD candidate Michael McDowell said the article was deliberately timed to coincide with the general election and added that it had "low-life" sources.

Ms Harney also rejected all accusations of political corruption. She has already signalled her intention to take legal action against Magill over the report in question.

Yesterday, lawyers for the magazine told the High Court that they would stand over the article, which said the Flood Tribunal had requested details of Ms Harney’s finances from the time she was a Dublin city councillor in the 1980s.

However, shortly afterwards, the tribunal issued a statement saying it had made no such request. Despite this, the article is likely to add to the PDs’ woes after this morning’s opinion poll showed they have just 2% support nationwide.