The leader of the House, Mary O'Rourke and Jim Higgins MEP (FG) clashed bitterly over Mrs O'Rourke's assertion that it was unethical to take "a wallop of money and not work for it".
Mrs O'Rourke branded Mr Higgins a bully boy after he had told her that she had been a disgrace on the issue of rendition.
The exchanges were sparked off when Mr Higgins referred to his offer to give up his Seanad seat if a mechanism could be found to ensure that it would go to a representative of the Irish emigrant community.
He said the Taoiseach had responded in a civilised and generous manner when the matter had been raised in the Dáil recently. But the reaction of Mrs O'Rourke, in the House last week, had been very ungracious. There was something feline in relation to what she had said. "She talked about me getting a wodge of money and never being here. Well, I am here when I can be. As regards getting a wodge of money that's a wodge of money I want to give up."
What Mrs O'Rourke had said was a little bit churlish coming from someone who had about four incomes, between pensions and income, etcetera.
Mr Higgins said that when he spoke in the House he never failed to put his head above the parapet and take stands. "Unlike certain people in relation to dealing with contentious issues such as rendition. You have been a disgrace on that."
Mrs O'Rourke: "Aren't you a great fellow. Bully boy."