Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny is to tell TDs and senators that the party will have to put forward "tangible ideas" and practical solutions to issues of major public concern if it is to succeed in getting into government at the next general election.
Mr Kenny will make his comments in a keynote address during the two-day annual parliamentary party conference, which begins later today in Portlaoise.
The Fine Gael conference is the latest in a series of high-profile political meetings being held ahead of the resumption of the Dáil later this month. The meetings are seen as the beginning of an 18-month election campaign.
The Progressive Democrats are also holding a one-day meeting of their parliamentary party today in Dublin.
Both parties will be focusing on health, justice and consumer issues. The PDs will also be discussing party priorities for the next budget.
Mr Kenny's speech this evening is expected to set the tone for the conference, which will also be addressed tomorrow by the new chief executive of the Health Service Executive, Prof Brendan Drumm.
The party is also holding a session later today on electoral strategy, using the recent Meath byelection - won by Fine Gael - as a case study.
Mr Kenny will use his keynote speech as a rallying call to Fine Gael TDs and senators to prepare for the next election. He will tell them that the party should be offering a "positive alternative" to Fianna Fáil and the PDs by coming up with practical solutions to issues of public concern in areas such as health, crime and the cost of living.
He will claim that the party is already doing this by way of a number of policy suggestions, such as supporting annual medical check-ups and tying electricity and phone charges to inflation.
The issue of the controversial Groceries Order is also expected to be discussed, although this has caused considerable division within Fine Gael. The party's position of support for the measure is seen by some within it as being out of line with Fine Gael's "rip-off Ireland" campaign against high prices.
Meanwhile, the PDs are expected to finalise their position on the Groceries Order, which bans below-cost selling, during their conference today, which is expected to call for the order to be radically altered or abandoned.
Speaking to journalists in west Dublin yesterday, Tánaiste Mary Harney said she believed the order "does not serve the interests of consumers".
She also commented on the recent Sunday Business Post poll, which showed a continuing decline in support for Fianna Fáil, down to 32 per cent, with Fine Gael and Labour's combined support at 38 per cent, compared to 36 per cent for Fianna Fáil and the PDs combined.
Ms Harney described opinion polls as a "snapshot" at a particular time reflecting the publicity of the day, a seeming reference to the recent Rip-off Republic programmes on RTÉ and the coverage surrounding them.
She pointed out that Fianna Fáil and the PDs had to produce two budgets between now and the next general election.