Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has called on Fine Gael to "cop on" and stop giving unattributed briefings referring to him as tetchy and grumpy.
Ahead of the official start of the general election campaign, tensions between three coalition partners have been heightened.
Mr Martin referred to ageism in Fine Gael comments, calling him a grumpy old man.
"It's amusing at one level but I would say to people to cop on. It’s silly. it’s not something that makes any sense," he said.
The Fianna Fáil leader also addressed comments he made referring to himself as a politician of substance, not soundbite.
This has been interpreted as a swipe at Fine Gael leader Simon Harris.
Mr Martin denied that this was a dig and said instead that it was a comment on his own position and disposition as a politician of substance.
"In any government I have served in, I have always sought to leave a positive legacy.
"There is a tendency in modern politics to headlines and a very superficial approach but I take the approach that in government, we are there to deliver for the people."
He also said he expected clarity on the date of the election by the end of this week.
On housing, Mr Martin said the Government had turned a corner but he said there was a lot more to do.
He was speaking to journalists at the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration at Bodenstown.
In his speech, he pledged that Fianna Fáil would assign another €1 billion to Shared Island initiatives if it is returned to government.
