Fianna Fáil is to unveil parts of its 2007 general election manifesto in the coming months in a significant intensification of its re-election campaign. The party is to publish a series of policy documents in key areas such as health, crime and consumer affairs, between now and when the election is called in late spring or early summer of next year.
The new policy papers are also expected to reflect Fianna Fáil backbench concerns about policy initiatives being followed by PD ministers in health and justice.
These include a desire by backbenchers for a focus on the provision of additional public beds in public hospitals, in contrast to the current Government proposals - championed by the Tánaiste Mary Harney - of building private hospitals on public land to create an additional 1,000 beds in the health system.
Concerns about the Garda reserve and the lack of full-time community gardaí in non-urban areas are also expected to be highlighted during the meeting, which will be held in private.
The documents will outline the party's proposals in these areas for the period between 2007 and 2012 They will be based in large part on work carried out at four parliamentary party meetings in July and at the party's two-day parliamentary party "think-in" which begins in Westport this morning.
Over the next two days TDs and Ministers will discuss reports and proposals from the July meetings, which will be presented to the meeting in the form of special rapporteurs' reports drawn up by four backbench TDs and senators.
They are also to be briefed in detail on preparations for the general election campaign.
The plan by Fianna Fáil to roll out separate policy papers is in contrast to its normal electoral strategy of keeping its new policies under wraps until its manifesto launch at the beginning of an official election campaign.
Its strategy is similar to that being worked on by Fine Gael and Labour, who are also planning the release of joint policy statements between now and the election.
This will begin tomorrow when Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, and Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, meet in Mullingar where they will publish a joint agreement on mental health.
Fianna Fáil's decision to publish the papers, in advance of the unveiling of the party's manifesto, is seen as an attempt to mark out a distinct identity after years in coalition with the PDs
The Fianna Fáil party leadership is also keen to show that it is taking on board the concerns of backbenchers that they are being excluded from the party's decision-making process.
It follows last summer's attempt to form a special high-powered backbench committee, which was aborted when Mr Ahern established the July backbench meetings.
"The Taoiseach is extremely happy with the outcome of the discussions," a Fianna Fáil spokeswoman said, adding that it reflected "a significant backbench input into policy".
"Advancing this will be at the centre of party deliberations in Westport," she added.
A significant number of backbench proposals are centred on low income households. They include increased allowances for the elderly and low income families to cope with higher fuel prices, measures to combat land speculation, State-sponsored low-cost mortgages and improved tax allowances for pension contribution.
Another key proposal in the health sector is for an accelerated investment programme for the construction of new hospital and health facilities. The Fianna Fáil "think-in" is the first of a series by the various political parties, which now mark the beginning of the political season.
The Green Party travels to Wicklow later this week and Fine Gael TDs and senators will spend two days in Sligo next week. Labour will hold its parliamentary meeting in Cork in two weeks time, while the PDs will hold a special one-day meeting in Dublin.