Minister for Finance Brian Cowen rejected a claim by Labour's Brendan Howlin that the Government was fast-tracking planned legislation giving it the power to close down tribunals.
Claiming that the Government had "abused" the tribunals and felt threatened by them, he added: "Is it not highly inappropriate that the Bill is being fast-tracked?" Mr Cowen, on the Order of Business, said that the Tribunals of Inquiry Bill was scheduled to be taken next week.
"There were calls for it to be brought forward, and that is happening. The content of the legislation should be dealt with on its merits. That should be the case with all legislation.
"The House does not control events in another place no more than that place controls events here. We should deal with the Bill calmly on its merits. That is how the matter stands."
Earlier, Mr Howlin said the Bill was published a year ago and had been on the order paper since then. But it was now scheduled to be taken next week.
"It will be difficult for the public to believe that this Bill, one of whose provisions gives the Government the power to shut down tribunals, should be fast-tracked from obscurity to become the priority Bill for next week.
"Will it not be seen as an attempt to intimidate the tribunals? Would it not be sensible for the orderly and proper business of the House to put it back so that it would not be dealt with in an atmosphere where a succession of Ministers have been upset by tribunals?"
