Senators have been reprimanded by the Cathaoirleach for taking photographs in the chamber.
Denis O'Donovan said: "It's totally against the rules of this house to take photographs in the chamber.
"If it happens again I will suspend the House for the rest of the night. It's childish and it's totally against protocol."
The comments came after the Government lost a private members' vote in the Seanad on legislation seeking to allow the reunification of refugee families.
The International Protection (Family Reunification) (Amendment) Bill 2017 seeks to amend the International Protection Act 2015, which restricts refugees in Ireland from being reunited with loved ones outside their immediate family.
The Government had opposed the legislation, which was tabled by Senators Colette Kelleher, Lynn Ruane, Alice-Mary Higgins, Grace O'Sullivan and John Dolan.
The Government lost the vote by 24 votes to 18.
The bill will now proceed to the next stage in the Seanad next week.
The Senators taking the photographs were not identified.
The Seanad leader, Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer, said the people who were breaking protocol should be named and shamed.
Mr O'Donovan said: "These photographs are being tweeted and used on Facebook, and that's totally against protocol and I think it's bringing down the level of this chamber."
He said he would write to all senators in September to remind them of the rules.
