Part of RTE's news coverage of the death of Dublin South Central TD Mr Pat Upton had displayed the greatest lack of sensitivity and the greatest degree of distaste on Tuesday night, said Mr John Dardis (PD), deputy Government leader in the House.
He referred to the posing of "a particular question" to the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, only hours after Mr Upton's untimely death. Mr Dardis did not elaborate, but Labour sources said they presumed the query related to the resulting by-election.
Government and Opposition senators joined in paying tributes to Mr Upton, and to another former member of the House, Mr Pierce Butler, who died recently.