The Green Party has denied reports that it is to appoint a civil servant to deal directly with Green councillors.
Reports have claimed Minister for the Environment John Gormley was planning to hire a department official to act as a "hotline" to Green Party politicians.
Opposition parties have described the move as an abuse of power that would give the Greens an unfair advantage.
Outgoing leader Trevor Sargent said today that the reports were a misunderstanding and that the official would be a political appointment and not a civil servant.