The Progressive Democrats have urged that the Government honour its commitment to recruit 2,000 extra gardaí, a move that is now expected to take place before the next general election.
The PD statement is seen as a further sign that the Government is to act on this commitment, which dates from the 2002 election campaign.
The Minister for Communications, Mr Ahern, said recently that the Government had "recommitted" itself to increasing Garda strength to 14,000.
In a statement yesterday at the end of a two-day strategy review in Dublin, the party's TDs and senators said the Government should "speed up the implementation of the remaining commitments of the agreed programme for government".
PD Senator John Minihan last night listed priorities which mirrored those that emerged from the two-day Fianna Fáil meeting at Inchydoney.
Asserting that PD policies had helped to bring about a major boost in Exchequer revenue, he said: "The forthcoming budget must ensure that this extra money is targeted primarily at the areas of health, education, disabilities and justice."
The party statement said priorities included "the need for a speedy resolution to difficulties in the area of special needs assistants; a discussion document on childcare; the need to continue to reduce the tax burden on the lower-paid and to take more people out of the tax net; infrastructural priorities; and the resources required to support the forthcoming disabilities Bill".
The PDs warned against major spending increases, saying they "would not be panicked into throwing away" economic gains.