Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett threatened in the Dáil to resign in a row about being ignored by Government and Opposition when he called time on their contributions.

Mr Barrett said he wanted to make it very clear that “if I do not have the confidence of this House to run this chair, I intend resigning. I am not going to come in here day in and day out and be ignored by either the Government or the Opposition.”

He intervened during leaders' questions when Taoiseach Enda Kenny was responding to Independent TD Stephen Donnelly on the controversy over Irish Water.

He added: “If I call time I mean it’s time and it’s up to you people to answer within the time allocated. If you wish additional time go to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and get it. But I’m not going to spend my time getting upset every day when people run six and seven minutes over every question.”

Mr Kenny suggested that the countdown clocks in the Dáil chamber should be switched on so speakers would know how long their contributions were.