Fine Gael supporters have nothing to fear from the involvement of the Green Party in a rainbow coalition Government, their party leader has said.
Speaking to candidates in Waterford yesterday, Mr Enda Kenny said he hoped to hold talks with leaders of the Green Party and Labour in advance of the next general election.
Both parties have already said they will have nothing to do with Fianna Fáil after the next election, as has his own party, Mr Kenny said. His intention was to "build on that so that people can have a clear alternative at the next general election".
Mr Kenny acknowledged there may be fears among some Fine Gael supporters, especially those in rural areas, about Green party policies in relation to farming and planning issues.
However, he was confident that he would be able to agree a programme for Government with the Greens and Labour that would be acceptable to traditional Fine Gael voters.
"In 1994 people asked how could Fine Gael forge an alliance with Democratic Left, especially since Proinsias de Rossa was reported to have said that farmers were rolling in it. That coalition was one of the most stable Governments we had and produced one of the best ministers for Agriculture Ireland has had, Ivan Yates," he said.
Recent controversies involving Fianna Fáil TDs showed that the party had become "too comfortable in power", and as a result found it easier to "cross the line between right and wrong".
The meeting at Waterford airport was the last stop of his two-day tour of Ireland by plane. Mr Kenny visited Cork, Shannon, Mayo, Donegal and Sligo.