The two leaders met at Government Buildings yesterday but failed to bring closure to the three-week-old affair which has seriously strained relations within the Fianna Fail-PD coalition.

While the meeting was described as "business-like", McDowell has not yet committed his party to remaining in government. Fianna Fail were last night directing questions about the coalition's future to the PDs. "It is up to the PDs to decide if they want to stay in government or not, " one Fianna Fail source said.

The two sides will remain in contact today ahead of another meeting tomorrow between Ahern and McDowell.

The Tanaiste is understood to want further clarification about the information already given by the Taoiseach. "A lot will hinge on Ahern providing the names of those who attended the Manchester function.

We can't sustain a drip-drip situation, " one senior PD source said.

It is unclear, however, if Ahern will be able to provide any new information. Several months ago, the Mahon tribunal asked for the Manchester names but in Dail contribitions last week Ahern confirmed that he had not succeeded in getting this information for the tribunal.

A PD spokeswoman declined to comment on what new information the party had obtained about the Manchester function. She said that while the information was "not definitive in nature, the questions posed had been communicated to the Taoiseach".

Fianna Fail sources were suggesting last night that the issue was "not significant".

Neither side would confirm if Ahern had given the PD leader the files relating to his 1997 house purchase. The property was bought from Micheal Wall, the businessman who knew that Ahern received stg£8,000 in cash at the 1994 function, although he himself did not contribute to the collection.

Further links between Wall and Ahern have been established as one of the tables at a 2001 fundraiser in Ahern's constituency was taken by a 'Michael Wall', who appears to be the Manchester-based businessman. "It would seem odd that he's prepared to come to Dublin to host a table but, although he was present at Manchester, he wasn't included in the donors, " Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said.

There are concerns in both parties that it may be impossible to end the controversy in the short term, especially with the Mahon tribunal continuing its investigation. The tribunal has already sought access to the banking records of several of Ahern's close confidantes, including his former partner Celia Larkin.

Attention will also turn to the courts on Tuesday with Ahern's attempt to prevent the tribunal gaining access to his 1993 separation agreement.

The High Court will have to decide whether the case is heard in private or public.