Labour members made a two-pronged assault on what they claimed was a flawed Bill to deal with local election expenditure.
They complained that the measure failed to impose an upper spending limit on candidates, and that it also afforded special treatment to the independent Kerry TD, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae.
Mr Pat Gallagher suggested that, on the argument of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Dempsey, the failure to impose spending limits could also be applied to Oireachtas and European elections.
"Why don't you just come out and get rid of it altogether, Minister?" he asked.
"The next electoral Bill," Mr Dempsey replied.
Mr Gallagher said the Minister's decision was incomprehensible, given that there were tribunals sitting in Dublin Castle, one of which was examining the relationship between developers and the local government system.
The ministerial decision was bizarre because, in theory at least, a local government candidate could spend more money than a European election candidate.
Mr Gallagher said the Minister should admit that the clause allowing an Oireachtas chairperson to contest local elections was the price for Mr Jackie Healy Rae's support.
Mr Joe Costello (Lab) said the Flood Tribunal should be a warning that "unless we get our house in order the entire framework of electoral representative politics in this country is going to be a cause of major concern among the public".
Mr Dempsey noted that the amendment in question applied to all Oireachtas chairpersons.
He said a local election expenditure limit was not being proposed because it would be very bureaucratic and would add to the cost of administration.
The Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Bill passed its second stage.