The Green Party has emphatically ruled out the possibility of participating in an "umbrella" grouping with Labour and Democratic Left. However, a Labour Party spokesman said last night he had "no knowledge of any approaches to the Green Party". No Democratic Left spokesman was available for comment.
According to the Green Party TD, Mr John Gormley, "tentative and informal approaches" had been made to his party to hold discussions on the matter. These approaches were "rejected outright by the Greens", he said.
"We have no interest in talking to Labour or Democratic Left on co-operation. Their stance on the Amsterdam Treaty was further evidence, if such were required, that our parties have very little in common.
"Democratic Left obviously sees Labour as an electoral lifeline," Mr Gormley added. A merger between those parties would be based more on opportunism than on ideology.
According to Mr Gormley, both Labour and Democratic Left occupied the centre ground along with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats. A more sensible approach would be for those five parties to merge as there were no substantial differences between them.
"They have all been on the same side in the last three referenda, on bail, Cabinet confidentiality and Amsterdam. The Greens on the other hand opposed these referenda," Mr Gormley added.
The Parliamentary Labour Party will today hear a report from its leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, on moves towards a "new political formation" with Democratic Left. He is scheduled to explain the background to his meeting last Monday with the Democratic Left leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa.
A Labour Party spokesman said last night Mr Quinn will seek the views of his 18 TDs and three senators on how they should respond to the proposal for closer political ties. He will have further discussions with the general council and executive committee of the party tomorrow.
"We will respond to Democratic Left in due course after reflecting on the proposal throughout all parts of the party. Nothing has been decided with Democratic Left at this point," the spokesman added.
Sources in the party said the membership would require time to digest the proposals and take stock of Democratic Left's plans. However, there was strong sympathy for the idea of consolidation.