THE general election started unofficially yesterday when Fianna Fail began an eight week advertising campaign and the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, accused Mr Bertie Ahern of "having no credibility on crime".
As Fianna Fail predicted a general election date of May 15th, Government spokesmen insisted that no decision had yet been taken and that the election could still be head in early summer or in the autumn.
The full blooded, pre election attack by Mrs Owen on Mr Ahern blamed him for starving the criminal justice system of funds while he was Minister for Finance. Under Fianna Fail, the Minister said, not a penny was spent on new prison places the Garda had fewer resources there was no anti drugs legislation, no way to seize the assets of criminals no bail referendum and long delays in bringing people to court.
Even as Mrs Owen sought to "derail Fianna Fail's law and order campaign, its deputy leader, Ms Mary O'Rourke, was taking the fight to the Government. She accused the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, of "engaging in despicable anti democratic acts".
No recent government had displayed such a disregard for democracy and debate in the Dail, Ms O'Rourke said. Mr Bruton had "deserted his heritage and the ideals he stood over for the last 20 years".
In Dublin, Mr Ahern presided over the launch of Fianna Fail's election billboard campaign, costing £250,000 and designed to last for two months. Utilising as its central theme, "people before politics", the campaign promises a form of partnership with people in which party interests do not dominate.
The Fianna Fail leader said important national decisions "should not be determined solely or mainly with reference to party political interests." As for Northern Ireland, "the securing and consolidation of peace should take precedence over any political agenda, nationalist or unionist, British or Irish."
Fianna Fail would pursue social cohesion and an inclusive economic agenda. It would provide increased resources to tackle crime, protect the environment - and address regional inequities.
Mr Ahern's prediction that the general election will be held on May 15th, following a four week campaign, was disputed last night by Government sources who said a decision had yet to be taken by Mr Bruton, Mr Spring and Mr De Rossa.
That decision was unlikely to be taken until the last minute, about three weeks before an election date, they said. Just because Fianna Fail launched its election campaign did not mean that the Government had to follow suit, they said.
In an attempt to second guess the Government, Mr Ahern has decided on an eight week advertising campaign which straddles most of the early election dates. It is generally accepted that an election will not be called in advanced of the Labour Party conference on April 12th; and Fine Gael's celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the State are going ahead as planned for April 17th.
A suggestion that the Government would call the election at that stage, so as to disrupt RTE's coverage of the Fianna Fail ardfheis on April 19th is dismissed as a "political paranoia" by Government sources. Democratic Left's annual conference is scheduled for April 26th and, if it goes ahead, an election is unlikely to be called until the first days of May.
The state of the legislative programme may dictate the timing of the election. The Government parties are anxious that the Local Government Funding Bill, which provides for the replacement of water rates by motor tax; the Electoral Bill, the Education Bill, the Equality Bill and the Finance Bill should pass through the Dail. But there are only two sitting days left in this session, and the Dail does not reconvene until April 10th.
At the same time, the Government is coming under increasing pressure from a range of interest groups, involving pay demands from public sector workers and calls for tax and other concessions from group water recipients and the users of illegal television deflector systems.
In Mayo at the weekend, the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Mr Kenny, was heckled and booed at protest meetings called to agitate for the licensing of deflector systems and for the provision of free domestic water in all groups water schemes. A critical response, was also provided to other Fine Gael and Fianna Fail politicians and there are indications that a "protest" candidate may be chosen to contest the new five seater constituency.
A spokesman for the Mayo Federation of Group Water Schemes, Dr Gerry Crowley, said a decision in principle had been taken to run an independent candidate in the coming general election.