There were vitriolic exchanges in the Dail when deputies traded insults during a debate on the Prevention of Corruption Bill. Fine Gael accused Fianna Fail of "tolerating the behaviour" of Mr Liam Lawlor because it depended on him to survive in Government. Fianna Fail contributors retaliated that Fine Gael had its own questions to answer at the tribunals.

During the combative debate Fine Gael's justice spokesman, Mr Alan Shatter, said it was "appropriate" that the Minister for Justice had been in Sicily signing a convention to tackle the problems of corruption at a time when Mr Lawlor was effectively confirming to the Flood tribunal "that he perjured himself before it, and was finally admitting some of the corrupt practices in which he had engaged over two decades of public life".

However, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, asked "why do we establish tribunals if the parties opposite insist on ignoring their remit?" He added that Fine Gael members also had serious questions to answer and "no amount of bluster can disguise that reality".

The Prevention of Corruption Bill sets out a list of people who are subject to its provisions, including the legislature and judiciary, and the measures include that it is an offence "for any person to corruptly give, agree to give or offer any gift with a view to influencing the person in performing his or her duty".

The Fine Gael spokesman said the Minister had been signing the anti-corruption convention in Sicily but "what about Fianna Fail's mafia"?

Mr Conor Lenihan (FF, Dublin West) said that a small number of people "betrayed the public trust in a gross and terrible way that brings shame on this House and public officials".

When Mr Shatter said his party should not be associated with corruption, Mr Lenihan accused him of hypocrisy and said Fine Gael was using its usual "jackboot tendency" trying to smear Fianna Fail.