There were no hysterics, no great drama and the tone of voice remained low throughout, but it was the air of quiet menace that lingered.
Mr Noonan made his presence known to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, during the order of business yesterday by saying he would not be silenced. He was objecting to the withdrawal of permission for Opposition leaders to ask the Taoiseach questions on topical matters each day.
It was an attempt, he said, to silence the new leader of Fine Gael. He spoke in a calm tone, gripping the front of the desk with two large hands and projecting himself forward. It was easy to find yourself being grateful for having never been a pupil during his career as a secondary school teacher.
A comment from the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, was greeted with a brief look and the remark: "I'll be back to you shortly."
He said: "I will not be silenced. I am here to do a particular job. I am going to do it." There was no question, he added, of his changing his position. Mr Ahern said he had no objection to the practice of being asked topical questions, which was discontinued by the Ceann Comhairle last week following a row. The disruption continued with the Opposition insisting on votes being called on matters which would usually be agreed as a formality, considerably delaying the business of the House.
A meeting of the Dail Reform Committee took place later last night. It was not attended by the Labour Party which has withdrawn from the committee because of the Government's proposals to increase the spending limits for the next general election. A Fine Gael spokeswoman said the Government had agreed to accept its standing order on the topical questions "subject to other Dail reform issues" which the Government wanted introduced. Party chief whip Mr Charles Flanagan will be presented with those in full this morning.
While it was an active and vocal day for Mr Noonan and his party, it left their Opposition colleagues angry. Labour sources said last night they could not believe that Fine Gael wanted the adoption of a standing order allowing only party leaders to ask topical questions, which would excluded the Green Party, Sinn Fein, independent TDs and ordinary deputies.
They say they will not participate in anything which results in a diminution of individual member's rights. If a vote is taken on the issue today, they raised the prospect of Fine Gael voting with the Government on this matter.
Mr Noonan had not been present in the Dail chamber earlier for questions to the Taoiseach which were instead handled by the deputy leader of Fine Gael, Mr Jim Mitchell.