Next week, before the Dail resumes after the interrupted summer recess, the two main Opposition parties are holding think-ins to figure out how they can score hits on the Government in the coming term. The Labour parliamentary party meets in Dromineer, Co Tipperary, on Monday and Tuesday, while FG holds its biggest and most important strategy meeting in several years in the Glenview Hotel in Wicklow on Wednesday and Thursday.
Both parties are worried about the Government's poll ratings and will concentrate on drawing up economic policies and strategies for attacking the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy in the run-up to his second Budget, in December. The fact that the economy is going well makes things more difficult. Part of the problem is formulating distinctive strategies.
FG has drawn up three areas for consideration next week - policy platforms for the June local and Euro elections, social exclusion and the economy. While continuing to condemn last year's Budget, FG believes the Minister will change direction this year. A source said, "We anticipate he will try and shore up a bad Budget and attempt to turn it around" and instead of continuing to cut capital gains and ordinary tax rates will broaden bands and give better allowances. A better way to tackle poverty, according to FG, but it will make it even more difficult for the party to maintain a distinctive policy. Labour has a series of topics to discuss next week, including social and economic policy, the DL merger talks, candidates for the locals and Euros and a party conference in late spring.