The DUP has been told to stop "whinging" about the Dublin government's post-Brexit border stance, as relations between Dublin and Arlene Foster's party continue to sour.
Fine Gael Senator Neale Richmond hit out at the DUP and said instead of complaining, the party should be focusing on re-establishing the Northern Ireland Executive and Brexit discussions.
"The DUP's whinging doesn't hide their political impotence. They would be far better off seeking to influence their government partners in Westminster and working to get the Executive back up and running to give Northern Ireland a strong voice," he said
Mr Richmond was responding to DUP accusations that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was politicking for domestic purposes when he said Ireland would not help Britain design an economic border for Brexiteers.
Mr Richmond said the Dublin government and the EU "cannot be expected to provide all the solutions (in relation to Brexit), especially on areas like a proposed border which run contrary to the aims of the Irish Government or indeed the Good Friday Agreement".
He added: "Being a good friend requires one to be honest. In the Brexit debate, Ireland is the best friend the UK has and it is only right that the Taoiseach and Minister Coveney should point out when the UK negotiating side is lacking."
The DUP was left angry after Mr Varadkar said last week that the government does not want any sort of economic border on the island of Ireland after Brexit.
He said if Britain wants to put forward technological solutions, that is up to them, but the government would not do that work for them.
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds hit out at the comments and said Dublin was positioning for a general election.
He said: "What's going on is pure politicking for their own domestic market. Let no one pretend otherwise.
"It's simply taking things backwards at a time when common sense co-operation between our two countries and between the Republic and Northern Ireland is what's needed."
