There were a number of criticisms of party leader Enda Kenny's announcement that he wants a referendum on the abolition of the Seanad.
At the party's annual Presidential dinner on Saturday, Mr Kenny said that, within a year of entering Government, he would hold a referendum to allow the people to vote on proposals to reduce the number of TDs and to abolish the Seanad.
It is understood a number of TDs and Senators have criticised Mr Kenny for making the announcement without consultation.
Earlier, it emerged earlier that a bill on reforming the Seanad may be drawn up before Christmas.
In the Upper House today, Green Party Senator Dan Boyle said Minister for the Environment John Gormley will chair a final meeting on the issue next week. He will then bring proposals to Cabinet.
In the Seanad this afternoon, there were some lively exchanges on the issue as members met for the first time Mr Kenny announced his plans last weekend.
Independent Senator Joe O'Toole said that Deputy Kenny's plans were akin to something that would happen during a recession in Italy or Germany, and alluded to Eoin O'Duffy, the leader of the Blueshirts.
Senator David Norris said it showed Enda Kenny was financially illiterate. Fine Gael senators rejected that charge and said that the House was being poorly run.
One senator - Fine Gael's Fidelma Healy Eames - was asked to leave the chamber for continually interrupting the proceedings.
Unusually, the chamber was nearly full for today's order of business with 43 out of the 60 senators present.
A number of senators asked the leader of the House - Fianna Fáil's Donie Cassidy - if the Senate would sit next week.
The answer to that, for the moment at least, is unclear.
