Fianna Fáil has accused Fine Gael and Labour of engaging in "alarming" auction politics that could bankrupt the country. It said it would not be matching the "unprecedented scale" of promises made by the Opposition in the run-up to the general election.
In its first major response to a series of pledges from Fine Gael and Labour in recent weeks on tax and stamp duty, Fianna Fáil said ensuring that the economy remained strong would be its main priority.
"We will promise less because our approach will deliver more," Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan said at the announcement of details of the party's ardfheis which takes place in Citywest, Dublin, this weekend.
In a separate development, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has indicated the election may not take place until after May 18th, the date which has featured most prominently in speculation up to now.
He told a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party last night that the Dáil would be returning after Easter and there would be a "long run" to the election.
One prominent party figure said this pointed to May 25th as a more likely date than May 18th.
One backbencher said his interpretation of the Taoiseach's remarks was that the election was "not a sprint to the line". The fact that the final of the Heineken Cup rugby competition is scheduled for May 20th, with possible Munster or Leinster participation, is seen as a further disincentive to holding the election on May 18th.
Mr Brennan, speaking at a press conference, said that while the party would be rolling out ambitious and challenging new proposals, "we will certainly not be matching the unprecedented scale of the promises given by Fine Gael and Labour".
He added: "For five years they have engaged in a permanent election campaign mixing attack politics and promising everything to everyone. There is no demand they have said 'No' to. They might claim now that they will be responsible and produce tables which show just a fraction of their promises, but the reality is very different."
Mr Brennan said Fianna Fáil believed that "responsible economic policies" were central to protecting jobs and generating the money to fund improved public services.
"Our success in the years ahead will be the focus. Maintaining a strong economy is essential."
He said Fianna Fáil would go to the people with an ambitious programme which was more credible and more deliverable than the "vast splurge of promises" which Fine Gael and Labour had indulged.
The party was taking nothing for granted despite the fact that Ireland had seen historic progress on the peace process and an end to mass unemployment.
"We believe that we have to make out a case to every voter and ask them for a new mandate. We know that you can only promise more funding for public services and tax cuts if you have a strong economy."
Describing the Opposition policies as "alarming", he said Fianna Fáil would not be competing with them on that basis. "We will lay out our tax policy and our economic policy positions, and we will have it all costed and clear."
About 5,000 delegates are expected to attend the party's ardfheis on Friday and Saturday, which will have the theme Leading Ireland Forward.
Mr Brennan said it was not the case that Fianna Fáil was late out of the traps with its campaign.
"We have a Government programme to complete and legislation to get through the Dáil. We are long enough around in the election business to make our mind up on the best pace of the campaign."
Party general secretary Sean Dorgan confirmed it would start a nationwide billboard campaign immediately after the ardfheis but declined to say how much Fianna Fáil would be spending on advertising during the election.
He said 14 of the party's 105 election candidates were women, and agreed the issue of the low number of women candidates was one of concern to all parties.
The Taoiseach will make his keynote televised speech at 8.30pm on Saturday.