Some Government departments had a number of Ministers of State, Labour finance spokeswoman Joan Burton claimed in a sharp attack on the Bill increasing the overall number from 17 to 20.
She said that the Department of Education now had five Ministers of State and one Minister, while the Department of Health had four Ministers of State and one Minister.
The Department of Justice, she added, had another four junior ministers and a Minister. "I do not know whether the Taoiseach was basically having a bit of a joke and a laugh when he gave the Department of Education five Ministers of State," she added.
"What is the poor secretary general in the department supposed to do: order in an extra-large conference table for the ministerial meeting room ?"
Introducing the Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill, giving effect to the increase, Minister of State for Finance Noel Ahern said the business of government had grown and continued to grow in volume and complexity.
"Many of the new challenges are cross-cutting issues which of their nature require cross-departmental responses."
He said that public policy had become more complex as society had grown and developed.
He added that the reasons behind the Government's decision were similar to those set out by the then minister for finance Ruairí Quinn (Labour) when moving the Bill to increase the numbers in 1995.
Mr Ahern predicted that the additional Ministers of State would play an invaluable role in delivering the programme for government.
Dr Martin Mansergh (FF) said that nostalgia had been expressed in the press for austere days when there was only a handful of parliamentary secretaries.
But he added that the last rainbow coalition increased the ministers of state to 17, including an extra "super minister" who could attend Cabinet meetings.
Fine Gael's finance spokesman Richard Bruton said that when they looked to the taxpayer to "pony up"and fund new Ministers they would have to see Ministers taking responsibility.
"Even a Minister who would not read his brief, and cost the taxpayer millions of euros, has not been sanctioned and continues to operate within the Cabinet," he added.
No tests of performances were being offered for the new Ministers of State.
"Posts are being filled, not on the basis of merit and performance, but on the basis of loyalty and endurance."
The Bill, he claimed, was designed to quell unrest among Fianna Fáil backbenchers.
"I take with a large grain of salt the argument about more complexity and the need to manage new volumes of business," said Mr Bruton.
"You are always going to face new challenges, just as there is always a case for new programmes. But what we have learned, and learned the hard way in the past, is that if there are new priorities other things have to take the back seat."
The Bill was passed.
