The Dublin West TD, Mr Liam Lawlor, made allegations against Opposition party leaders and the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, yesterday before resigning as vice-chairman of the Oireachtas Finance and Public Service Committee.
He said Ms Harney, the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, and the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, should appear before the Flood tribunal and explain matters relating to themselves.
The decision by the Progressive Democrats to support a Fine Gael motion of no confidence in Mr Lawlor ensured the vote would have been carried yesterday.
Mr Lawlor told the meeting in his speech before resigning that Mr Bruton should go to the tribunal and explain his actions, or lack of action, regarding matters which the tribunal was investigating.
He said Mr Bruton's sworn evidence concerning a Fine Gael fund-raising lunch at the Red Cow Inn in Co Dublin should be "explored in detail".
"Was he, or was he not, put in the knowledge of an outrageous demand from one of his party colleagues?" he asked.
"Was there any other party colleague in attendance when he was put in the knowledge of this information, and did he take any action?"
He said Mr Bruton could also be of assistance in having matters thoroughly investigated regarding "the question of how the town centres were provided out in west Dublin and the role of his party members".
Speaking about Mr Quinn, he invited him to make a full disclosure to the tribunal about how an architectural practice of which he was a partner, before being made minister for labour, benefitted from any "insider ministerial information", and if it was "at the heart of the success of that practice securing the brief".
Did Mr Quinn ever telephone or meet the chairman of any State company, asked Mr Lawlor, lobbying or directing for an architectural practice which he had a role in before being minister for finance, and "if that practice benefited from his interference"?
Mr Lawlor said it would be particularly helpful to the tribunal that the Tanaiste and her party should make full disclosure of all financial income stretching back over 20 years, and in particular when Ms Harney was serving on Dublin County Council.
It would also be helpful to the tribunal, he said, if the Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Robert Molloy, "could confirm if a meeting took place in Galway where he undertook to lobby Progressive Democrats councillors on a major South Dublin Council decision, and if he thought that was the appropriate action in a quasi-judicial function".
The committee chairman, Mr Michael Ahern (Fianna Fail), who had interrupted Mr Lawlor twice, told him that he was "straying too far" from the motion, which was proposed by Mr Jimmy Deenihan of Fine Gael.
"In conclusion," said Mr Lawlor, "I believe the playing pitch should be levelled; we are all accountable. We all have a responsibility and a public duty to explain our decisions."
Mr Michael Noonan (Fine Gael), welcoming Mr Lawlor's resignation, said there had been unsubstantiated allegations and innuendo against those named.
He said: "A person who would make such a divisive, partisan contribution is not appropriate to be a chair or vice-chairman of an all-party committee".
Mr Sean Ryan (Labour) said he was "disappointed and appalled" at the remarks made by Mr Lawlor and he had lost whatever credibility he may have had left.
His party colleague, Mr Derek McDowell, said he did not want to leave an impression that Mr Lawlor had made new allegations which had to be investigated by the tribunal. Mr Lawlor had made the allegations before, he said, and they had been refuted "utterly and in detail" by Mr Quinn.