The Progressive Democrats leader, Ms Mary Harney, has called on the Government to resist preelection demands for new public spending commitments, saying her party will not make such demands.
"Politicians from all parties must realise that it is wrong to attempt to bribe the taxpayer with the taxpayer's own," she said.
Real increases in the value of public spending must be kept at or below 2 per cent, she said. "If that is done we can quickly eliminate Exchequer borrowing and tackle the agenda of radical tax reform to transform the country in five years. That will be the cornerstone of the Progressive Democrats participation in government."