The Labour Party was placed on an election footing at its bi annual conference in Limerick over the weekend when the Tanaiste and party leader, Mr Dick Spring, outlined the political options to delegates. The electorate would have a straightforward choice in the coming months, he told them, between the "centreleft" government parties of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left and the "centre right" alternative of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats. If neither of those options was favoured by the people, then he would not come before delegates in the aftermath of the election and recommend any form of coalition involving Fianna Fail or the Progressive Democrats. It would be up to delegates to decide, but he would urge them to go into opposition rather than participate in a Fianna Fail/Labour Party government.
It is a high risk strategy for Mr Spring. He clearly feels his party is still suffering from something of a credibility gap with the electorate as a result of the formation of the 1992 Fianna Fail/Labour Party government. In that context, he has, made an unequivocal commitment to persevere with the policies and the composition of the present Government. And he has turned his back on what he described as "an each way bet for Fianna Fail". The Labour Party, he insisted, was a party of government rather than of opposition. But he would not preside over a return to, the two and a half party system of government where Labour was not treated as a full partner. Implicit in, what Mr Spring said was a guarantee to voters that he would step down as party leader rather than enter government with Fianna Fail after the general election.
The growing popularity of the Government, as reflected in recent Irish Times/MRBI opinion polls and the narrowing of the gap between support for the" government parties and the Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrats alternative, may have encouraged Mr Spring to believe that an outgoing government will be, re elected in this State for the first time in almost 30 years. By ruling out coalition with Fianna Fail, he has certainly aimed to prevent any "leakage" of preferential votes from rainbow Coalition to opposition party candidates. And he appeared confident of leading the party for some years to come.
The conference was designed to celebrate the Labour Party's achievements in government over the past four years and the list was impressive. Family law, equality legislation and the right to remarry were listed and, above all, a transformed economy which has generated unprecedented numbers of new jobs and allowed for huge investments in education, health and the social services. As for the future, Mr Spring offered delegates a vision of a more inclusive and sharing society, where all young people would participate in second level education. Training or work experience would be provided until they were 21 years of age, rather than have them sign on the dole. Special care for children with a permanent disability and for elderly people in need of home or nursing care would be provided for under a "Social Guarantee" which, he said, could transform the future development of our society.
The Labour Party wanted to bring an end to the poverty and neglect which underpinned crime and drug abuse in our cities and to create opportunities for all. It, was a carefully crafted speech, designed to appeal to the same voters who gave the Labour Party a historic: 19 per cent of the popular vote in 1992. Mr Spring has put his considerable political reputation and his party leadership on the line. It will shortly fall to the electorate to pass judgment.