Achieve: Taoiseach accuses Danny Healy Rae of making up quotes during heated row in the Dail

The row began when Healy-Rae said that Michael Martin was putting agriculture jobs on the block by backing calls to cut the national herd.

The Taoiseach denied the charge but the outspoken Kerry TD insisted that Martin had been quoted in the press.

Martin angrily demanded, through the Chair, that Healy-Rae produce the evidence or retract the statement.

"I remember you asking me where did we get the evidence base about non-compliance and we got it subsequently afterwards in terms of other issues and now you produce something here that you can't tell me where you got the quote from," countered Martin.

"I'm not quoted and I challenge, through the Chair, the Deputy to produce the quote where I said I'm in favour of reduction of the herd. Because I never said it. I'm not in favour."

The Taoiseach then called on Healy-Rae to retract his "untrue" statement.