Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats are expected later this week to complete their review of the programme for government. Discussions between the two parties, which have been under way since last month, are understood to be almost concluded.
The completed document, which will set out the Government agenda until June 2002 at the latest, is expected to be discussed by the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste towards the end of this week.
One Government source said there had been some difficulty in framing the document given the forthcoming publication of the National Development Plan, the commitments in December's Budget and any successor to Partnership 2000 to be negotiated early next year. He said: "We have had to be careful about the level of detail we spell out at this stage".
The four Independents, who are supporting the Coalition in the Dail, are due to meet the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, tomorrow. Mr Brennan said last night he would be "briefing them on the range of issues in the review of the programme for government and in particular outlining the Government's approach to the public pay issue".
Mr Brennan has already had individual meetings with Mr Harry Blaney, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae and Mr Tom Gildea. He is likely to meet Ms Mildred Fox on an individual basis this week.
Ms Fox said yesterday that although her Wicklow constituency had benefited from her support for the Government she had been "a little bit frustrated at the slow progress of certain items on my list". On RTE Radio's This Week programme, Ms Fox reiterated her wish for another referendum to ban abortion. She said she wanted a definite decision from the Government on its intentions on the issue within six months.