The Labour Party has rejected a suggestion from the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, that both opposition parties enter a pre-election pact to ensure that the Government does not get back into power.
Mr Bruton said yesterday that he wanted to lead an alternative government involving Fine Gael and Labour after the next election and was "open" to a pre-election pact with Labour.
The Fine Gael leader said he wanted to avoid relying on the support of Independent TDs, as the Fianna Fail/PD coalition had done.
"It is clear the people want an alternative. They don't want a Dail that is dominated by Independents, where you have instability that could undermine our economic success, where you have one constituency benefiting at the expense of another because of political pressure."
Regarding a possible pact with Labour, Mr Bruton said it would be easier for the electorate to see the choice. "It is not simply enough to put people out, you've got to say what you are going to put in. There has to be a clear replacement government that shows not only the personnel, but also the policies, the commitment and the vision."
However, a Labour Party spokesman said last night that the party's position was to contest the next election on an independent basis with its own policy platform.
"Any decision to go into government would depend first on the outcome of the next general election and secondly on the views of the party. There would have to be a special delegate conference after the election to agree any proposal to go into government with Fine Gael or anyone else", the spokesman said.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Mr Bruton said that the only way Fianna Fail would be put out of power was if Labour supported Fine Gael for a change of government. He promised that Fine Gael would not dominate any new partnership. "We recognise that, for a coalition to work, the concern of the smallest party has to be equal to the concern of the biggest."
Mr Bruton also said he would not rule out the Green Party joining a possible Fine Gael/Labour coalition.
In relation to Sinn Fein, Mr Bruton said he thought Mr Gerry Adams was doing his best to move the republican movement away from its paramilitary past. "But they haven't made the full journey yet", he added.
On abortion, Mr Bruton said he did not favour any political action. "I am unconvinced that either legislation or a constitutional amendment will, in a practical way, improve the situation. I believe in the sanctity of life. I don't think another divisive debate about legislation or a constitutional amendment will actually reduce the number of abortions. We have to do everything possible to allow more children to be born who might otherwise be aborted."
Mr Bruton criticised the Government for failing to control inflation, saying that its recent package of measures did not work.