THE Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has told Labour TDs to prepare for a general election and has begun a two month tour of up to 40 constituencies.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has also increased the number of constituency visits, making four last week alone. The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, began a constituency tour last Friday.
At last week's meeting of the parliamentary party Mr Spring put the party on an election footing", according to a party source.
The party's electoral prospects came up during a post Budget discussion at the weekly meeting of TDs and senators last Wednesday.
While Labour TDs have received no information as to the election date "we see it as more and more likely to be in early to mid June with the campaign starting in May", according to the source. Mr Spring told his parliamentary party "that work for an election should now begin in earnest".
The Tanaiste's tour began last week with visits to a number of Dublin constituencies. He is attending party meetings and candidate selection conventions in urban and rural constituencies, ostensibly as preparation for the party conference in Limerick on April 11th-13th.
The conference will provide Labour with a well timed boost in profile should the election take place in June.