The recent remarks by the Progressive Democrats on Fianna Fáil's unsuitability for single party government appear to have caused strain between the Government partners.
On the way into the first official Cabinet meeting since the election was called, the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, said the Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell, had gone too far in his remarks about Campus Stadium Ireland and the prospect of Fianna Fáil winning an overall majority.
Asked if he resented what Mr McDowell has been saying about Fianna Fáil, he told TV3 News: "Yes, I do." The Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, compared the Attorney General to a "screaming child".
"The whole country knows what Michael is trying to do. He's trying to get elected and he's having a few lashes around the place to get attention . . . He's a bit like a screaming child at the moment trying to name call and hope to get a bit of attention."
The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, appeared to play down Mr McDowell's remarks. "In the rough and tumble of a political debate, in the context of a general election, people say things perhaps they might not say in other circumstances." Asked if she had asked Mr McDowell to tone down his remarks, she replied: "No I haven't; nobody tones Michael McDowell down."
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, talking at a PD press conference, said the party were not specifically referring to Fianna Fáil when they advised against single party Government. She believed it was wrong to personalise it to just one particular party.
"I would say the same even if we were talking about a Labour government or a Fine Gael government." She was not "pointing a finger at Fianna Fáil" and did not believe they would be any worse than any other party in Government on their own.
"We're always going to be the bit in the middle, we believe that's been good for Irish politics. We believe that single-party government has a capacity to abuse power. That's been shown in all countries, particularly in our own country, single party government hasn't been a benign one.
"Even if there are only two Cabinet ministers of a different party around a Cabinet table, there are checks and balances," said Ms O'Donnell.
But she added that her party would not be in Government to "be some sort of moral mudguard".