THE Labour TD for Dublin North East, Mr Tommy Broughan, has criticised "senior Labour Party sources" who were reportedly anxious to keep open the option of a Fianna Fail Labour government after the general election.
In a statement, Mr Broughan asked: "Are these the same senior party sources who brought the Labour Party to the brink of ruin in the summer of 1994 with their ill judged, ludicrous and disastrous alliance with Fianna Fail?
"Are they the same senior party sources who rightly castigated Fianna Fail for five years after 1987 and then promptly went into government with them?" The backbencher was responding to a Sunday Business Post report.
Meanwhile, there was growing speculation at the weekend that a general election could be called before the Dail went into summer recess.
Senior figures in different parties believe the election will now take place by June at the latest, even though the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has said the Dail should not be dissolved until later in the year.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour leader Mr Spring, expressed a preference for an autumn election in weekend radio and newspaper interviews. While indicating a wish to remain in the present coalition arrangement, he refused to categorically rule out a partnership with Fianna Fail.
Commenting on Mr Spring's RTE interview, senior Fianna Fail sources said: "The difficulty is Spring, not with Labour.
The Minister for Social Welfare and Democratic Left leader, Mr De Rossa, also expressed support for an autumn election. Mr Willie O'Dea of Fianna Fail said Mr De Rossa's comments showed "how desperate he is to stay in power until the end of the year in order to secure a ministerial pension for himself and his Democratic Left colleagues".
Senior Fine Gael figures are in contact with the Louth TD, Mr Brendan McGahon, who was defeated at the party's selection convention in the constituency and said later he would not accept a nomination from "John Bruton or the Holy Ghost". Party sources said: "There appears to be a process of reconciliation under way."
The convention chose Mr Fergus O'Dowd, a former mayor of Drogheda who is a brother of the Irish American publisher and a leading figure in the peace process, Mr Niall O'Dowd, and Mr Terry Brennan, a councillor from Carlingford and former county footballer.
The executive council of Fine Gael has added the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Hugh Coveney, to the party ticket in Cork South Central.