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Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore has categorically ruled out a coalition between his party and Fianna Fáil after the next general election even if he were in a position to become taoiseach.

Mr Gilmore has also predicted his party is well-positioned to win at least a seat in each of the country’s 43 constituencies and two in some constituencies in Dublin, Cork, other urban areas and commuter-belt counties. In all, he said the party has the potential to win 50 seats or more.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Irish Times, the Labour leader twice said that a coalition between his party and Fine Gael was the most likely outcome after the next election.

Asked would he rather serve as tánaiste with Fine Gael than as taoiseach with Fianna Fáil, he said: "I want to be absolutely clear. I don’t want there to be any ambiguity about this. Fianna Fáil must be put out of government at the next election."

Mr Gilmore said the party is taking on extra staff, setting up a new campaign unit, and has set up a "winning the west" strategy to make gains in constituencies where Labour has had a marginal or no foothold before. Most of these are along the western seaboard. "In Connacht-Ulster, you see that Labour is at 19 per cent or 20 per cent [in opinion polls], as against 5 per cent in the last general election."

As a consequence of much higher expectations for gains, the party expects to run 65 candidates with the aim of winning 50 seats or more.

To the suggestion that this seems unachievable, he responded: "I think it’s very doable. [The next election will be] very much an election about change."