AN APPARENT gesture made in the course of a heated Seanad quarrel on medical cards for over-70s has been downplayed as "harmless" by both Senators involved in the exchange.
The reference to the gesture was made after Jerry Buttimer of Fine Gael called on Geraldine Feeney of Fianna Fáil to withdraw a remark she made about the short duration of the Dáil career of the Wexford Senator Liam Twomey.
Mr Feeney then commented that Mr Buttimer would lose his Seanad seat "if I were to say what he did to me when I walked into the chamber".
However, she later declined to comment or elaborate on the apparent gesture made by Mr Buttimer in the chamber other than indicating that it was a "little altercation" of no importance.
Mr Buttimer said that he had made no offensive gesture. "Senator Feeney and I are very good friends and honestly there is no issue," he said. "I do not think that any gesture I made would cause any offence," he said.
What Mr Buttimer describes as his combative style of debating has drawn some criticism and has led to a complaint to the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges (CPP).
The Dublin-based Fianna Fáil Senator Larry Butler last night confirmed that he had written to the CPP during the summer to complain about constant interruptions from Mr Buttimer.
"He kept interrupting when I got up to speak . . . he interrupted me on 14 or 15 occasions during one debate."
During the same debate, a comment by Ms Feeney that elderly Fine Gael people from Sligo at the protest in Dublin over the medical card issue had told her they were just up for the "craic" drew the wrath of the Opposition.
A remark by Minister of State at the Department of Social and Family Affairs Maire Hoctor about the presence of only one person in the public gallery for the duration of the second stage debate also drew criticism.
The Bill was passed by 27 votes to 15.