If there was ever any doubt that there are elections on the way it was firmly dispelled in the Dáil yesterday. The citizenship referendum was the spark for a row, which quickly degenerated into a shouting match, most of it from the Opposition benches.

Government Ministers and backbenchers sat serenely, some smiling at their increasingly exercised opponents. The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, eased into the issue by asking "why the rush?" about holding the referendum on the same day as the local and European elections.

Ms Harney replied that "we are usually criticised by the Opposition for not acting in a hasty fashion on many matters". When the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said he had always regarded the Tánaiste as a "decent person", it was clear the knife was about to come out.

"It makes my stomach sick to see her lend her party as cover to Fianna Fáil in a transparent ploy to exploit the immigration issue in an election atmosphere," he said.

"Where now is the party of Dessie O'Malley who said he would stand by the Republic?" There were some surprised chuckles when he suggested that PD senator John Minihan would be a TD if not for the fact that this issue was "disgracefully exploited in Cork by some of the guys behind the Tánaiste" at the last general election.

Ms Harney regretted that the Labour leader intended to "start the debate on this note".

The opposition erupted when Ms Harney insisted that the Government only decided on Tuesday to hold the referendum on the same day as the elections.

Mr Rabbitte was steaming. "The Tánaiste has come a long way from standing by the Republic," he asserted. Ms Harney suggested he had a bigger problem than the referendum timing. "Let us hear it," she said.

Fine Gael's Dublin European elections candidate, Mr Gay Mitchell, jumped up on a point of order to demand the answer to a question he had asked three weeks ago about the figures for births to non-nationals in the capital's hospitals.

When the Ceann Comhairle said he could not make points of order, there were repeated calls for him to cite the standing order. Thumping the bench, Mr Mitchell insisted on his right to an answer.

He was ordered from the Chamber and some of his colleagues took up the call.

"What standing order?" echoed around the House like a Mexican wave. It was business as usual in the National Assembly.