Fine Gael needs to be more angry and determined in opposition, the broadcaster Mr Eamon Dunphy told the party conference.
"Anger and determination are the prerequisites for good government," he told the party conference in Dublin on Saturday. Fine Gael should learn the lessons of opposition and must be sure they wanted to do something if they returned to power.
Describing himself as "a classic swing-voter", Mr Dunphy said he voted for Fianna Fail in the last election but would not be voting for it next time.
He said he voted for Fianna Fail primarily because of the way the rainbow coalition government behaved towards the victims of hepatitis C and its handling of the McCole case. The last time Fine Gael was in power it did not commit itself to reform because it "became part of the club".
"What happens when you get into government is that you forget the needs of ordinary people and you defend the indefensible," said Mr Dunphy.
He said he believed in the integrity of FG as a party. Issues which must be highlighted were libel laws, the broadcasting services, the urban ghettos and the widespread belief among ordinary people that they lived in "an unfair society where the nod-and-wink still counts".
Mr Gay Mitchell, in outlining the party's commitment to enterprise and social justice, proposed to extend the medical card system. He said the party would shortly be issuing a statement on health.
As well as Mr Dunphy, other guest speakers were Frank McDonald, Environment Editor of The Irish Times; Breda O'Brien, a columnist with The Irish Times; and the Dublin GAA football manager Mr Tom Carr, who drew analogies between the motivational techniques in sport and politics.
Mr McDonald emphasised the importance of Dublin's public realm, urging citizens to "take charge of the public realm and feel that they own part of it".
Ms O'Brien spoke about the need to look at future policy from a family's perspective, and the need to measure the benefits to society of parents staying home for a time to raise children.