Gerry Adams has told the Dáil he is flabbergasted that the Taoiseach does not expect Ireland's interest rate reduction to be on the agenda of June's European Council meeting.
The Sinn Féin leader said this stance reduced the Taoiseach's role to that of an observer or commentator and he said Enda Kenny should be pushing the issue.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin also said the Taoiseach should raise the issue.
In response, the Taoiseach said the issue of the interest rate had been devolved by EU member states to Ministers for Finance.
Separately, Mr Martin asked the Taoiseach about a comment by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and his alleged intervention at a G8 meeting last November.
Mr Geithner alleged made comments to the effect that there was to be no burning of bondholders in policy on the banking debt.
Mr Martin said he was surprised that the Taoiseach had not raised this issue with US President Obama during his visit to Ireland.
The Taoiseach said he understands Mr Geithner's comments were made on the fringes of the G8 meeting last November and were not part of the agenda.
Mr Kenny said he had no evidence about what was discussed.
