In spite of the controversy that has bedevilled his Government in the past week, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, told the Fianna Fail party faithful there will be just two elections in 1999 - the European Parliament elections and the local government elections on June 11th.
To loud applause, Mr Ahern told 250 party delegates at the European election convention in Dublin last night that after June they could take their holidays and return in the autumn to a new round of work.
As the Fianna Fail party greeted the supportive words of the Tanaiste in Tokyo with considerable satisfaction, Mr Ahern outlined the programme he wishes to see completed in the coming months.
Not only that, but Fianna Fail would turn in a fine performance in the local and European elections. He promised two Euro seats in Dublin, provided Mr Niall Andrews and Mr Ben Briscoe, who were nominated to represent Fianna Fail in Dublin, do not "head out on their bikes and crash into one another".
"We must have an intelligent, coherent strategy" he added.
Afterwards the Taoiseach outlined to reporters his determination to "drive" the peace process in the coming weeks.
He had spoken to the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, yesterday as well as Mr John Hume, he said, and the SDLP leader might visit Dublin today to see what further means could be used to break the impasse.
The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, is scheduled to meet the Taoiseach tomorrow and he will "tour the Border areas" on Friday and also meet the Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon.
Everyone "is very committed" but there was no specific proposal to crack the logjam, he said.
However, everybody was now looking to, and expecting, the two governments to drive the process forward, the Taoiseach said.
Following last night's selection convention, senior Fianna Fail sources also dismissed the prospect of an early break-up of the Government.
"The crisis has passed; they have nothing on Bertie," one party figure said. It now appeared that Ms Harney was determined to leave the strains of last week behind her and has believed what the Taoiseach told her during a long telephone conversation she had with him on Friday.
