The Ceann Comhairle, Dr O'Hanlon, intends to make a statement today after the Labour leader, Mr Rabbitte, accused him of being "congenitally incapable" of fairness in the Dáil yesterday.
There was no comment from Dr O'Hanlon when asked whether he would use his power to seek the expulsion from the House of Mr Rabbitte for disorder if he refused to withdraw his remarks today.
While such an action against a party leader would be highly unusual, Mr Rabbitte insisted yesterday that he was not prepared to apologise for his comments.
"I can't see how views that I fervently hold can be the subject of an apology. I fervently hold those views with conviction," he said on RTÉ radio.
"The unreasonable interventions, regularly and frequently, by the Ceann Comhairle, have the effect of protecting the Government and that's my fervently, trenchantly-held, honest conviction."
However, Mr Rabbitte was accused of electioneering by the Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Pat Carey. "What better way of getting a cheap bit of publicity than exploding in the Dáil and throwing accusations at the partiality of the chair?"
The row between Mr Rabbitte and Dr O'Hanlon led to a five-minute suspension of Dáil business yesterday morning after Mr Rabbitte claimed Dr O'Hanlon was "the most partisan chair" ever in the Dáil.
Mr Rabbitte voluntarily left the chamber after he refused to withdraw his comments.
An Oireachtas spokeswoman said that "in accordance with Dáil standing orders, the deputy would be free to return at any time after his voluntary withdrawal".
Mr Rabbitte intends to return today, but it is open to the Ceann Comhairle to seek a vote of the House to suspend him if he finds his conduct to be disorderly.
The dispute arose during Mr Rabbitte's questioning of the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, who took Leaders' Questions in the place of the Taoiseach.
Mr Rabbitte asked how the decentralisation initiative could be reconciled with the proposed shutdown of Garda stations.
Mr Walsh spoke mostly about decentralisation and went on to suggest that Mr Rabbitte table a parliamentary question about the Garda.
Mr Rabbitte appealed for assistance to Dr O'Hanlon, who then said that the Labour leader had asked two questions whereas he was entitled to ask only one.
This prompted Mr Rabbitte to allege that Dr O'Hanlon was "the most partisan chair this House has ever had" and that Dr O'Hanlon intervened continually to protect the Government.
"Time after time, you do it, virtually everyday, and I am sick of it ... You are congenitally incapable of being fair."
Leaving the chamber, Mr Rabbitte said he would sooner withdraw from the House than withdraw his remarks about Dr O'Hanlon.
He said later that Mr Walsh's response was "the best example of the contempt regularly demonstrated for Dáil Éireann by ministers standing in for the Taoiseach when he is absent".
