The mob-like behaviour of anti-water charges protesters in Tallaght at the weekend puts in the ha’penny place former tánaiste Eamon Gilmore’s 2011 warning about the “forest of placards” Government TDs would face.

Labour failed to anticipate the dramatic shift in support away from the party and towards Sinn Féin, small parties and Independents. Sinn Féin did not expect to be outflanked on the Left on the issue of Irish Water.

The rising tensions between those untested alternatives was inevitable.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary-Lou McDonald attempted to take the lead on water charges with a stand-off that became a sit-in last Thursday. The party effectively shut down the Dáil and Ms McDonald earned herself a two-day suspension.

The Socialists upped the ante with their robust style of protesting in Jobstown, Tallaght at the weekend.

The McDonald suspension row is set to resume this week. She is actually suspended until Wednesday, and there is much talk around Leinster House about how far she will push her attempt to enter the chamber tomorrow.

Sinn Féin is insisting that its deputy leader will be “turning up at work as normal tomorrow”.

It seems unlikely she will engage in argy-bargy with the ushers, who will be simply doing their job in trying to keep order in the Oireachtas.

Sinn Féin will finalise its strategy at a meeting tomorrow morning, but at this stage it appears most likely Ms McDonald will approach the Chamber, allow herself to be turned away by ushers before speaking to reporters afterwards.

To take matters further would probably result in the Dáil being suspended again. This would not be good for the party as its environment spokesman Brian Stanley has tabled a Bill to "ensure that water services and infrastructure remain in public ownership" during private members' business tomorrow evening.

There will be further opportunity for Sinn Féin to disrupt Dáil proceedings this week, when it is proposed to discuss water charges for more than 13 hours on Wednesday and Thursday.

Sinn Féin may refuse to agree to the Order of Business and will be seeking the support of other Opposition parties in this regard.

The bottom line is that a parliament can only operate on the basis that its participants do not want to see it come crashing down.

Sinn Féin members will have to decide whether being perceived as anti-establishment lords of misrule or constructive participants securing incremental compromises will win them most votes.