Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty have clashed in a heated debate in the Dáil, which was characterised by personal attacks.
In exchanges on the rising cost of living, Mr Doherty suggested the Government was "out of touch" and the Tánaiste should be "a bit more humble" in his answers.
Mr Doherty said: "I really thought somebody who ... in which the DPP is currently assessing whether they'll prosecute you under the Corruption Act maybe you would be a bit more humble in relation to your response."
In reply, the Tánaiste described the intervention as a "cheap shot and a very personal shot".
Mr Varadkar added: "It says a lot about you and the nature and the character of the kind of person you are. And it's particularly strange coming from you because you were prosecuted.
"You abused, mistreated a Garda Síochána. For that you were prosecuted. You were found guilty. Yes, you got away without a conviction because of your age at the time, but you were actually prosecuted. You were arrested. That's what happened to you."
The Tánaiste continued: "And in your party there are a huge number of convicted criminals - in your party and in your wider Republican family. Whether that is tax dodgers like Slab Murphy - a good republican, according to Mary Lou McDonald, a good republican... a tax dodger. People who are convicted for murder. We know what your party's attitude is to rape and paedophiles and what you have done in relation to that. So your cheap shots say a lot more about you than they do about me."
In a later statement to RTÉ News, Mr Doherty said: "Almost three decades ago I was involved in a very minor breach of the peace in Dublin city centre. It was dealt with under the probation act. It has been covered in the media on numerous occasions.
"The fact that the Tánaiste has to grasp for this to cover his decade long failure in government is very telling. He would be better off doing his job and supporting people who can't heat their home or put diesel in their car to get to work."
The Dáil row developed from comments made by Mr Doherty, who said that people were being "pushed to the brink" over the rising cost of living and the Government is not supporting them but letting them "fall through the cracks", cracks which were getting "wider and wider".
Mr Doherty referenced a Fine Gael dinner hosted by the Tánaiste last night to celebrate a decade in power, by saying: "So whilst you toasted your own success in Government last night, the reality is that many families out there are being pushed to the brink. And let me tell you this Tánaiste, the last thing they are thinking about is raising a glass to Fine Gael's success."
Mr Varadkar replied: "That was a cheap shot. I hosted a dinner last night to thank colleagues for their years of service and there was no public money involved.
"You host dinners in America. You charge people $1,000 a plate to attend and your party leader flies first class to get there. That's what you do in the middle of a cost of living crisis. And I believe that she's about to announce another first class trip to Australia."
