Young FG conference: Recent remarks by PD Minister for Justice Michael McDowell have been interpreted as an admission that Fine Gael could help form the next government by its party leader Enda Kenny.
Mr McDowell said it did not matter whether Bertie Ahern or Enda Kenny was Taoiseach after the next election. "The larger party may lead. The junior party defines the direction," the minister said.
Mr Kenny, speaking to journalists at the Young Fine Gael conference in Limerick Junction on Saturday, said: "The PDs have said before that they could do business with either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
"Mr McDowell's remarks are a recognition from him that people want a change and that Fine Gael can be the party in government on the next occasion. The PDs are part of the Government, and our objective is to change that Government.
"If they decided, for some reason or other, to walk away from Government, that would change the political landscape considerably."
Asked if he ruled out sharing power with the PDs, Mr Kenny said the only parties he had ruled out sharing power with were Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. "But the PDs are wedded to this Government and our job is to oppose, expose and win the trust of the people to change it."
Mr Kenny said Fine Gael in government would have a different style to the PDs and Fianna Fáil. "I would see Fine Gael in government laying down ambitious and achievable targets for all ministers, and that ministers would have to consider their positions if they did not measure up."
Meanwhile, Mr Kenny criticised Minister for Education Mary Hanafin and Fianna Fáil for their attitude to the Irish language. "It is time that we acknowledged that the Irish language is in trouble. Some of that trouble is the product of Fianna Fáil's attitude to the language." If the language was to grow there would have to be a fundamental change in approach.