Dáil Sketch/Michael O'Regan:Mary Harney addressed the Dáil as her reported spat with Michael McDowell was occupying the minds of the Opposition.
She was reported to have even threatened to make the radical Mr McDowell redundant, seeking the ministerial head of the Minister for Justice.
"One can never give assurances about when one would use a guillotine," said Ms Harney.
She was referring to how the Government might deal with legislation, but the Opposition jumped on the remark to return to tensions between Mr McDowell and herself.
"Such as on Deputy McDowell's head," suggested the Green Party's Paul Gogarty.
"Deputy McDowell has been warned," observed Fine Gael's Jim O'Keeffe.
Mr McDowell, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen, as Ms Harney took the order of business flanked by Fianna Fáil Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey.
Enda Kenny got nowhere when he asked Ms Harney if she agreed with the view of the late Charles Haughey that the Coalition was the worst government in the history of the State.
Then, he turned to the PDs' internal strife. "Does the Tánaiste agree that on Midsummer's day, there is trouble in paradise?" he asked.
Ms Harney replied: "Unlike Fine Gael, we do not adopt a change of leadership strategy before elections."
Mr McDowell's constituency colleague in Dublin South East, John Gormley of the Green Party, asked about legislation promised by the Minister for Justice, "whom the Tánaiste threatened to sack this week".
And he wondered if Ms Harney was planning emergency legislation to deal with the Minister's ego which "is clearly out of control". Ms Harney said that the legislation would be published this session, adding: "The Minister is working hard on both."
Mr Gormley asked if Mr McDowell was working hard on becoming leader.
"He is working hard to deal with the deputy in Dublin South East," said Ms Harney.
"He will need to work very hard," said Mr Gormley.
Ms Harney received support from an unlikely source. "I shared a constituency with the Tánaiste for many years," said Pat Rabbitte. "I want to explain that I do not switch sides and I express solidarity with her."
Ms Harney did not look terribly reassured.
Meanwhile, Independent Mayo TD Dr Jerry Cowley noted that he had written to former minister for the environment Martin Cullen about a chewing gum tax.
"It relates to the principle that the polluter pays and the cost of cleaning up," said Dr Cowley. "However, it came to a sticky end because the US ambassador intervened on behalf of the Wrigley's company and the matter was not pursued."
"Wriggle out of that one," challenged Independent Finian McGrath.
By the time Mr McGrath rose to demand that Bertie Ahern apologise to Joe Higgins for Wednesday's outburst, matters were drawing to a close.
Ms Harney left to attend to ministerial business and later chew the lunchtime fat with the incumbent Minister for Justice.