A senior trade unionist has warned the Labour Party that its planned pact with Fine Gael would only benefit that party while damaging Labour and reducing it to an "also-ran".
The regional secretary of the ATGWU, Michael O'Reilly, said yesterday that Labour should reconsider the intention of party leader Pat Rabbitte to enter a pre-election pact with Fine Gael "following the disappointing results from the byelections".
A motion from the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency of the party, supporting Mr Rabbitte's strategy of a pact with Fine Gael, will ensure a debate on the issue at the party's national conference in May.
Others are expected to propose motions urging that the party leave its options open.
The party's national executive is also expected to put forward a motion, but its content has not yet been agreed.
Mr O'Reilly, an activist on the left of Labour whose union is affiliated to the party, said in a statement yesterday that Labour had ended up in fourth place in both Kildare North and Meath byelections, and this was not good enough.
"In Kildare North they were the biggest opposition party at the last election, and were expected to take the seat. Labour not only failed to take the seat, they were reduced to an also-ran."
He said since Labour had announced its intention to form a pre-election alliance with Fine Gael, the party had lost support in opinion polls.
"When voters have an opportunity to support an alternative progressive candidate, as they did in Kildare North, it is Labour who loses out."
He added that Fine Gael was understandably delighted with the pact.
"It has helped them gain a seat. Fine Gael officials are openly stating that in the next general election they will gain over 20 seats from the pact, while Labour will pick up less than five seats.
"Why is the Labour leadership so determined to do a deal with a party that is using them for electoral advantage? This is not a pact between equals. It is just a way for Fine Gael to garner more transfers and seats. Labour is not served by such an arrangement.
"Why is the Labour leadership intent on pursuing a pre-election pact that is so one-sided? It may result in handing Fine Gael extra seats, but it will ensure that Labour lags behind.
"The Labour leadership should reconsider this strategy and, instead, promote the Labour Party and its candidates."