Fine Gael and the Labour Party have embarked on the second phase of their election preparations, offering a clear alternative to Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats and promising to deliver an agreed programme for government in advance of polling day.
The appearance of Pat Rabbitte at Fine Gael's pre-Dáil conference in Sligo this week was pure theatre, designed to grab public attention, but it also underlined the degree of co-operation and joint planning that is now taking place between the parties. In contrast to this cohesion, Tánaiste Michael McDowell has made it clear the Progressive Democrats will fight the general election on separate policies from Fianna Fáil in an attempt to reinvigorate their political appeal. Such an approach could generate future difficulties.
So far, Enda Kenny and Mr Rabbitte have published selected aspects of common policies and have employed broad brushstrokes in sketching proposals for public service reform; changes in healthcare and the criminal justice system; and the provision of value for money. That will change in the coming months. Both leaders are committed to offering voters an explicit programme for government on polling day in order to maximise the combined impact of their parties and to prevent vote slippage.
The strategy of the alternative government parties is a direct response to efforts by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats to split their vote and "poach" their supporters. Mr Kenny was particularly exercised by Mr McDowell's appeal to Fine Gael followers to transfer their allegiance to the Progressive Democrats. And he left nobody in any doubt that - after 10 years - removing this Coalition Government from office was his principal objective. In the same way, Mr Rabbitte counteracted Fianna Fáil's efforts to attract Labour votes by emphasising the primacy of his pact with Fine Gael.
There was plenty of political "spin" and determined image-building at the Fine Gael conference. Oireachtas members were advised they could win at least 25 extra Dáil seats. This is hugely ambitious. But, having lost 23 TDs in the general election melt-down of 2002, the target is not beyond their reach. Self-confidence and the establishment of clear objectives are the most basic building blocks in politics. For the past two years, Mr Kenny and Mr Rabbitte have been working hard at providing a convincing and attractive alternative to the present Coalition. They have a considerable distance to go in terms of policy creation and agenda setting. But opinion polls would suggest the electorate is beginning to take notice.
As the 29th Dáil begins to run out of steam, all parties are engaged in a complex tactical battle. Mr Kenny will confirm the closeness of his alliance with the Labour Party when he visits their conference in Cork next week. But the Government parties still hold the purse strings and a powerful economic advantage. Much may change before the election is called in 2007.