THE Coalition parties have begun work on a common manifesto for the general election. But they have not seriously addressed the question of an agreed Government candidate or strategy for the Presidential election in the autumn.
Government sources have confirmed that some meetings have taken place between the three parties at different levels in an attempt to set out the broad principles and parameters on which they would seek a renewed mandate. The work will continue over coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the three Government leaders are expected to focus on a general election date at their meeting next week. The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, and a number of Ministers are out of the State attending St Patrick's Day festivities this week.
Though the option of a joint general and Presidential election in late autumn will be considered, informed sources still believe the general election will be in late May.
The Government parties are ruling out the preparation of a detailed Coalition programme for that campaign. They are engaged in setting out a statement of headings on major policy elements.
The likelihood of a presummer election is also leading Government and Opposition parties to postpone any decision on possible Presidential candidates.
The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, said yesterday it was his strong view that there should be an election for the Presidency.
Speaking to journalists at the informal Foreign Ministers meeting in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, he said he believed "that the Presidency took on an enhanced role in Irish life because there was an election back in 1990. There was a sense back towards the end of 1989 that we didn't need an election and there could be an agreed candidate. We took a strong view that that was not in the best interests of the office".
He said it was too soon to take a view on a specific Labour candidate. Asked about Ms Adi Roche, the Chernobyl children's campaigner, Mr Spring praised her role but said she would probably want to continue it.
In Fianna Fail, both the former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, and the former minister, Mr David Andrews, have signalled their interest in securing their party's nomination. They are declining to go public on their positions, presuming that there will be a presummer general election.
The Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins, is the only member on the Government side who has indicated interest in the Presidency.
Mr John Hume, the SDLP leader, emerged as the favourite to succeed Mrs Robinson in a Sunday Independent/IMS opinion poll published yesterday.
Respondents were presented with a list of names and the findings were: Mr Hume, 19 per cent Mr Albert Reynolds, 14 per cent; Mr Charles Haughey, 11 per cent; Ms Marian Finucane, 11 per cent; Mrs Maire Geoghegan Quinn, 11 per cent; Dr Garret FitzGerald, 9 per cent; Mr David Andrews, 8 per cent; Mr Dick Spring, 7 per cent. Twelve per cent said they favoured none of these.