Ahern hits out at opposition's 'personality politics'

The Justice Minister has admitted that the controversy surrounding the Taoiseach's radio interview yesterday morning has not helped the Government.

Dermot Ahern has aslo hit out at the opposition for pursuing what he has described as personality politics and he said that Fine Gael's Simon Coveney was grossly wrong to make a libelous remark.

Earlier the Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Martin said lessons would have to be learned from the affair - and that Brian Cowen would reflect on what happened.

However Minister Ahern believes it is now time to move on:

"I think we should allow ourselves to get on with the business of running the country. We want to deal with the issues that are affecting real people.

"We don't want to be diverted from them by a side issue which, to be honest, isn't true," he stated.