Taoiseach says PDs being bullied by Ahern in coalition guidelines

MR Bertie Ahern's concept of coalition has been sharply criticised by the Taoiseach as nothing more than "Fianna Fail rules for letting the Progressive Democrats pretend to be in Government".

Referring to the Fianna Fail leader's speech setting out his philosophy on coalition, Mr Bruton said yesterday that like any would be bully, he was telling Mary Harney what the house rules would be from the time she gets up early in the morning, to the time she goes to bed.

His attack on Mr Ahern's style of coalition follows the Government's decision to turn up the temperature of the campaign in its last week by focusing aggressively on what it sees as the Fianna Fail leader's potential shortcomings as Taoiseach.

In a review of political strategy as the Rainbow parties trail in the opinion polls, Ministers also decided on Wednesday to engage in sharp confrontation with Fianna Fail and the PDs in a bid to shift undecided voters from their "moribund state".

The Taoiseach derided Mr Ahern's guidelines on coalition yesterday, claiming that, far from philosophy, the speech read more like "the marriage agreement dictated by Charlo in Roddy Doyle's drama. Mary Harney is cast in the role of the woman who walks into doors. In her case, it will be the closed door of Fianna Fail policy, according to Mr Ahern".

Mr Bruton accused the Fianna Fail leader of announcing patronisingly that bigger parties in a coalition should only bring on board "the relatively noncontroversial and obviously beneficial proposals of the smaller party".

What Mr Ahern had in mind, he said, was that his party alone would decide what was "noncontroversial" and what was "beneficial", and accept only those ideas from their partners.

"Combine that with the PDs' nonnegotiable tax demands and you have a recipe for grudge and grievance not government by consensus, Mr Bruton said.

The Taoiseach's aggressive repudiation of Mr Ahern's style of partnership was one in a series of developments reflecting the changed Rainbow strategy for the remainder of the campaign. In an attempt to prevent Mr Ahern from doing what he does best canvassing in constituencies.

Mr Bruton repeated his challenge to the Fianna Fail leader to take part in a presidential style debate.

Meanwhile, the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, finally agreed to hold a head to head debate on RTE with the PD leader, Ms Harney.

Believing that Fianna Fail has conducted the better campaign at national level, Government strategists have arranged that Mr Bruton will bombard the national airwaves for the weekend to dent Mr Ahern's appeal and ability to become the next Taoiseach.

They now fear that the head to head contest between the two leaders in the RTE debate next Wednesday night may come too late to influence volatile voters.

A new confidence was evident in the alternative coalition's camp yesterday. Mr Ahern said in Cork that he looked forward to having a Cork voice at his Cabinet table "when I am Taoiseach in a few weeks' time".