Fianna Fáil has postponed plans to introduce a code of conduct designed to prevent back-bench TDs from expressing "demoralising" criticism of the Government.
Chairman of the parliamentary party Mr Seamus Kirk said he could not say when the issue would be addressed, but that the party planned to revisit it later in the summer.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, had backed the initiative. But a number of TDs complained that the party was attempting to silence them.
Several TDs said yesterday they had not heard anything about the planned code since before Easter, when Mr Kirk signalled his intention to introduce it.
Mr Kirk offered no reason for the delay, except to say that the party had been preoccupied with day-to-day matters. He had intended to implement the code after Easter.
"It hasn't gone very far to be honest," said Mr Kirk. "I can't tell you when we will get down to it. So many things are happening at the present time that we haven't found the time to look at it properly.
"We haven't applied our
minds to it in the way that we should."
The initiative was announced last month soon after Kilkenny TD Mr John McGuinness directly criticised the Government in a newspaper article.
In his initial response to that article, Mr Kirk said the party had no command structure forbidding such statements.
He said a week later that the party wanted to foster unity, cohesion and discipline. Members of the party were concerned that a sense of ill-discipline would grow because of extreme criticism
of the Government, he said.
When confirming that the new code of conduct was effectively postponed, Mr Kirk said that many younger TDs had expressed support for the initiative.
However, he added: "Some members of the parliamentary party would have an alternative view to that."
TDs continued yesterday to express reservations about the plan.
"I think it would be a recipe for dissension," said Cork deputy Mr Batt O'Keeffe.
The plan to bind Fianna Fáil Cabinet members with a code of conduct followed public differences between the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, and the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, over funding for the health sector.
TDs have complained about several Government policies since the start of the year.
There have been frequent complaints about the influence of the PDs on the Government, the stance on the Iraq war, and about the abolition of the dual mandate.
The proposed ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants has also drawn criticism, as has a suggestion by the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, that superstores, such as the furniture chain IKEA, should be allowed establish branches in the Republic.
