The Government is trying to buy voters' support in the Meath and Kildare by-elections, Fine Gael and Labour charged yesterday when they announced a vote transfer pact.
"When the Government produced a plan two years ago for the national rail network, Meath was never mentioned," the leader of Fine Gael, Mr Enda Kenny, declared.
However, the Minister for Transport, Mr Martin Cullen, "on his first visit" after he was "newly freed by the ethics commission" was able to announce plans to reopen the Navan rail line.
"If they want to put their money where their mouth is, we shouldn't be having rash promises to buy the electorate of Meath in this case. People in Co Meath now get up at 5.30 in the morning to work in Dublin," said Mr Kenny, when he joined up with the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Pat Rabbitte.
Under the pact, Fine Gael and Labour supporters will be asked to support each other's candidates, although it does not mean the parties agree on all policy issues.
"This is not a pact for a general election. It is a pact to maximise votes so that we can ensure that our candidates are in a real position to win these by-elections and send the Government a message that the people are completely frustrated," said Mr Kenny.
Questioned about his desire for an FG/Labour pre-general election alliance, Mr Rabbitte pointed out that Labour delegates would discuss the issue in May.
"It is certainly my intention that the people will be offered a choice at the next general election . . . [ but] I have procedures to go through.
"The general election is a long way away. There is plenty of time to discuss in what terms an alternative will be offered to the electorate, but it is my determination that the people will be offered a choice," Mr Rabbitte told journalists.
However, Fianna Fáil Minister Mr Noel Dempsey was quick to highlight divisions between Fine Gael and Labour over the route of the M3 motorway.
Fine Gael's Meath candidate, Mr Shane McEntee is strongly in favour of the chosen route, which passes near to the Hill of Tara, while Labour's candidate, Mr Dominic Hannigan, favours change on the grounds that the Tara route will "simply end up in the courts for years and never get built", a Labour spokesman said last night.
Dismissing Mr Dempsey's attempts to sow the seeds of division, Mr Rabbitte said: "It is the task of the Government to build the M3. They should have it up and running already.
"Their National Development Plan has fallen seriously behind. It is up to the Minister for the Environment to make his decision. For some reason, he is postponing it. He is willing to make a decision in any part of the country but in Meath.
"It is the task of the Government to build this road so that hard-pressed commuters desperately need to get to Dublin in the morning in reasonable time and the same in the evening.
"The Government is not making that decision and this by-election is not going to build, or not build, this road. This is a pact about maximising Opposition strength."
The Green Party, which is running Mr Fergal O'Byrne in Meath and Cllr J.J. Power in Kildare North, will not be party to the voting transfer pact, arguing that it wants to keep an independent profile.
