Taoiseach Simon Harris has called on Government coalition parties not to “rewrite history” by attacking each other during the election campaign.

He spoke after Fianna Fail justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan said the Ministry of Justice needed “new political control and direction” after 14 years with the Fine Gael minister.

Mr O’Callaghan said there was a “question mark” over whether Fine Gael was a law and order party because he used the party’s election slogan to criticize its performance on justice.

While the two largest coalition parties have been openly pitted against each other in the first week of the election campaign, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said he was surprised by the tone of Fine Gael attacks.

On Friday morning, Fine Gael Justice Minister Helen McEntee responded when asked about Mr O’Callaghan’s suggestion that she accept a number of proposals he had put forward on law, order and immigration issues.

“I think there are probably women all over the country who would understand what it’s like for men to try to get paid for the work they do,” she told reporters in Dublin on Friday.

Speaking at the upcoming launch of Fianna Fail’s crime-fighting proposals, Mr O’Callaghan said the Ministry of Justice needed “new energy” – the Fine Gael campaign slogan.

“I think it will be different, and sometimes political emphasis or political direction can have a real impact on the part of a government department,” he said.

“Look at housing and look at what Eoghan Murphy (former Fine Gael housing minister) said when he was in ministry, you can have a well-intentioned minister, but unless you have the political emphasis and political support behind you to make change, it won’t happen.

“I believe that if we had a full ministry in the Department of Justice, we would see greater advancements in justice.

“I think that’s part of the reason why Micheal (Martin) stated that when it came to negotiations, if people put us in a position where we could get into government, that’s one of the portfolios we’d want to pursue. ”

Asked whether Ms McEntee was an “ineffective” justice minister, Mr O’Callaghan said he would not take the criticism personally.

He said: “I won’t make this personal for Minister McEntee or any Fine Gael minister, but let’s get to know the statistics.

“The Ministry of Justice has been under Fine Gael control for the last 14 years or so, and although progress has been made in many other areas in the last four years, I think questions have arisen in the Ministry of Justice in recent times. We have been growing in many ways over the past 14 years.

“So I’m not going to make this personal to Secretary McEntee, but I think there’s a benefit to helping the Department of Justice under new political control and direction because there’s a real need for new energy within that department.”

Speaking in Co Clare, Mr Harris said he did not want to engage in “tit-for-tat” with coalition partners and insisted government parties were working well together.

The Taoiseach said: “We have worked well together for four and a half years, producing five budgets.

“We didn’t do everything right, we did a lot of things right, there are other areas where we need to do better.

“We can no longer have a situation where the people who are in government, who sit around the cabinet table and have the right to effectively veto any decision, say that this ministry is not under our control.

“Collective cabinet responsibility doesn’t work that way.”

Mr Harris added: “For two and a half years of this Government’s life there was a Fianna Fail taoiseach.

“There has been a Fianna Fail taoiseach or tanaiste throughout the life of this Government and vice versa for Fine Gael.

“My experience of four and a half years in government (we must not rewrite history) was a constructive interaction between three different parties.

“Helen was eager to serve as a pastor. He turned and put his shoulder on the steering wheel.

“Helen McEntee doesn’t need to take anyone’s opinions.”