The transformation of Ireland into a modern urban society has made the possibility of a Labour-led government a realistic goal, Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said today.
"In my view a Labour-led government is a realisable ambition: this may require more than one election to achieve, but it can be done", he said.
Speaking at a seminar in the Irish Labour History Museum to celebrate the life of former Labour leader Brendan Corish, Mr Rabbitte said "We are an increasingly modernised and open society. There is, therefore, a greatly expanded constituency for Labour's politics, and much less interest in the traditional civil war dividing lines."
Mr Rabitte told the seminar that the radical change in Irish society has come at a time when Fianna Fail has abandoned its roots, and has shifted increasingly to the right.
"The supposed Pauline conversion on the road to Inchydoney, was simply a belated realisation that this shift brings with it a political cost. The supposed shift to the left, which is nothing more than a slickly packaged One-National Toryism, has convinced no-one," he said.
Mr Rabbitte drew parallels between Mr Corish's decision in 1973 to end Labour's long standing antipathy to coalition to form a pact with Fine Gael ending years of Fianna Fail hegemony.
Mr Rabbitte desscribed the coalition government in which Mr Corish served as Tanaiste as "one of the best, and one of the unluckiest, in the history of this State" as it coincided with the oil crisis that wreaked havoc on the world economy.
"As I say, the circumstances of the 1970s have parallels with today. I certainly hold to the view that democracy is ill-served by long periods of hegemony by one party in power. Advantage is conferred on those with the inside track.
"The project on which I have embarked is to build an alternative and fairer Government, which offers people the chance to end a long period of Fianna Fail rule. I believe our democracy will be enhanced if we bring that change about," Mr Rabbitte told the seminar in Wexford.
"Of course, our agenda is far wider than that. We don't just want a change of Government, we want a better Government. Our task is to replace the existing right-wing Government, with a centre-left coalition - a point on which Corish was also clear," he added.
The seminar followed the handing over to the Irish Labour History by the Corish family of the former Labour Leader's personal papers