The restricted nature of the Dáil sittings after Easter was strongly criticised by the Opposition parties amid sharp exchanges.

However, the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, who was taking the Order of Business in the absence of the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, said the original Dáil schedule had not included the proposed two-day sitting to debate the referendum legislation. "The House was going to be in recess. Members are getting two extra days."

Mr Michael D. Higgins (Labour, Galway West) said: "That is patronising rubbish, and you are good at it."

The Government has decided the Dáil should sit on Wednesday and Thursday, April 21st and 22nd, to discuss the legislation paving the way for the referendum on citizenship in June.

Yesterday, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said there would be no Order of Business, no Leaders' Questions, no oral or written questions, no Private Member's business, or matters moved under standing orders on those two days.

"What in the name of God does the Government think we are?" he asked. "We have repeatedly asked questions about the Government's business, and how it is being conducted. Yet we are expected to return to the House on April 21st and 22nd and sit here like lame ducks to listen to dictator McDowell read his script and bulldoze the Bill through by postponing votes until the following week."

The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, claimed there was no respect on the Government side for the Dáil. Having concealed from the House its intention relating to the citizenship referendum, the Government was doing exactly what he had predicted two weeks ago.

"It will recall the House a week early to take the Bill, which it had earlier denied it would do."

He suggested there was a case, "although it would be misrepresented by our vigilant friends in the media", for the Opposition parties saying they would leave the House to the Government in the week after Easter.

"There is a 50-50 chance that some sections of the media would report it as us not being available to tog out, which is not the issue."

Mr Dan Boyle (Green Party, Cork South Central) said there was a need to protest "violently" against the proposal. The Government was guilty of a "cynical, ramrod attempt to distort the Constitution, the basic law of the country".

He said there was a case for considering what role the Opposition should play in the House during the two-day sitting.

Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) said only six of the Bills highlighted in the Government's schedule of legislation for the spring session had been addressed. "Other legislation is being parachuted in which contributes to the backlog of important legislation which the House should deal with."

He said his party was not opposed to the idea of coming back the week after next. "We have long argued that there should be longer sittings, which would give greater opportunities to move legislation forward."

Mr Smith insisted nothing had been concealed from the House, adding that the Government had made its decision on the referendum only last Tuesday.

"It is interesting to hear from the deputies who like to keep the dignity of this House and lecture us about it and the way they are contributing.

"I would inform Deputy Ó Caoláin that 12 Bills have been published, nine of which are from the A list; one Bill has been approved by the Government and is awaiting publication; 10 are expected before the next session; and five will not be ready until after the beginning of the next session."