Opposition parties meet amid taunts from Taoiseach
Fine Gael and Labour will discuss forming the next government today amid heavy criticism that they have no policies.
Plans by Opposition leaders Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbitte to create an alternative administration have been dogged by demands from Fianna Fáil TDs to produce clear policies on core issues.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern turned up the heat on the Opposition’s strategy when he called on them to publish proposals.
He used his keynote speech at Fianna Fáil’s annual think-in to warn Fine Gael and Labour that they could run but they could not hide forever.
He told his TDs and Senators in Westport: “Our plans are credible and costed. Our programme for the future is a set of detailed blueprints, not a collection of bluff and bluster.”
Mr Ahern later quipped at a press conference: “They can’t even get the anniversary date of their Mullingar meeting right.”
Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea also called on the Opposition to publish its policies.
Today’s meeting between the Opposition leaders is seen as the latest bid in an annual tradition to upstage Fianna Fáil’s Autumn parliamentary party meeting.
The Opposition’s ’Mullingar Accord’ in 2004 coincided with the Coalition party’s think-in at Inchydoney, West Cork and a similar meeting was also staged last year.
Mr Kenny and Mr Rabbitte are expected to use today’s talks to review progress that has been taking place in a number of key policy areas over the summer.
