THE Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said last night that he had not given up on the target of a Labour majority Government.
Attempting to calm the shattered nerves of Dublin TDs, in particular, following the disastrous result of the Dublin West by election, he said he believed, as he had for some years, that it was both possible in the short term, and a legitimate target to aim at.
Promising to bring a strategic plan for growth to the party, the Labour leader said there was little point in blaming others for their slide in the polls. "Our identity is our property, and if we have not pressed our case adequately, that is our fault, and no one else's."
Against the background of the criticism they faced now, it was important to remember that their entry into Government fundamentally altered the priorities and choices that were in daily implementation at the time. They believed in the values they campaigned for and they had been working to give effect to them.
"We have not compromised our values or our commitment to change," Mr Spring continued. "But we have been perceived as doing so. If we are described as arrogant, or out of touch, it is too easy to dismiss all that as media bias. Certainly, the media bias is there but we have made our own mistakes, and we have our own lessons to learn. We are not so arrogant, I hope, that we can not admit that much."
For the strategic plan, which is expected to be presented to next Wednesday's parliamentary party meeting, to be worthwhile, it should restore the party's confidence in itself, lead to a restoration of public confidence in the party and be practical, Mr Spring said.
