Labour leader Mr Pat Rabbitte yesterday withdrew comments he made in the Dáil about the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, during a row over the break up of Aer Rianta.
And the Tánaiste confirmed that legislation on the restructuring of the company would be published before the Christmas recess.
Mr Rabbitte said he had "referred interrogatively to the Minister in a manner of words which has a construction capable of being put on it that I did not intend".
He wanted to make it clear that while he believed that the "question of a second terminal at Dublin Airport is dictating the decision on Aer Rianta, I did not intend the construction that is being put on the words I used and I want to take this opportunity to withdraw that".
In angry exchanges over the restructuring of the semi-state company that runs Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, Mr Brennan had asked the Labour leader in the Dáil where he had got the confidential Government memo that showed the Minister for Finance opposed legislation enabling the break-up of Aer Rianta.
Mr Rabbitte retorted: "Never mind where I got the memo. If you want to know where I got the memo, I might ask you questions about what you got from Michael O'Leary."
Mr Rabbitte also asked the Tánaiste to confirm media reports that legislation to enable the break up of Aer Rianta would be introduced this month.
Ms Harney replied the Minister for Transport intended to "bring legislation before the Government shortly, with a view to its publication before Christmas".
