Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Féin and Socialist Party deputy, Mr Joe Higgins, have condemned Labour for agreeing to a deal reducing the time the Taoiseach spends answering Dáil questions.
Under the deal, Mr Ahern will not have to take questions on Thursday's Order of Business. He currently answers questions on the Order of Business on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, as well as taking questions for 45 minutes on Tuesday and again on Wednesday.
In return, Labour will restored as the second largest grouping in the House, following the formation of a technical group by the Greens, Sinn Féin, Mr Higgins and a number of independent TD for the purposes of asking questions and contributing to debates.
The Fianna Fíl Chief Whip, Ms Mary Hanafin, said the Government believed that Labour should take precedence over "a technical group which rotates its leader and of its nature does not speak with one voice."
Labour's Chief Whip Mr Emmet Stagg, said his party were in a better position to oppose "this discredited right wing Government needs than a rag, bag and bobtail collection of political views."
However, Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny, attacked Labour for its "betrayal", saying the deal meant Mr Ahern would only have to attend one and a half days per week in the Dáil.
Sinn Fein's Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caolain described it as a "sordid little deal", while the Green leader Mr Trevor Sargent, said the Taoiseach was trying to avoid accountability. "Other despots, like Hitler, tried to remove accountability from parliament," he claimed.