THE wooing of Independent TDs by the Fianna Fail leadership, at an ultimate cost of millions of pounds, continued right up to yesterday morning, just hours before Mr Bertie Ahern's election as the State's eleventh Taoiseach.
Separate discussions with three Independent TDs, Ms Mildred Fox (Wicklow), Mr Jackie Healy Rae (Kerry South) and Mr Harry Blaney (Donegal NorthEast), spanned about a dozen meetings since the general election and led to Mr Ahern giving commitments on a range of issues from upgrading roads in Co Wicklow to support for small farmers, fishermen and the provision of a CAT scan at Loughlinstown Hospital.
As a quid pro quo for specific deals, some of which will take considerable time to implement, the Independents agreed to support him not just in the vote for Taoiseach yesterday, but in all normal" voting situations for the lifetime of his minority government.
Fianna Fail is adamant that no costings have been done on the overall packages accepted by the three deputies but, given the inclusion of significant road improvements, the figure will run into millions.
After four meetings, either directly with Mr Ahern or with his officials, Ms Fox has emerged with a reasonable deal, having secured at least five specific pledges. A number are small in national terms, but will please a large section of her electorate.
One of her main demands which Mr Ahern has agreed to honour is the provision of a badly needed new secondary school in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, an area with an expanding young population. The site has already been obtained and, according to Ms Fox, the planning process will begin at once in order to get the school completed by the end of 1998.
The most expensive element of her arrangement with the new Government concerns the upgrading of the N81, the main road between Blessington and Carlow. A shortfall of £80,000 on a £250,000 CAT scan for Loughlinstown Hospital, which caters for many of her constituents, will also be met shortly.
A promise to provide a suboffice of Wicklow County Council in Blessington and provision of a new District Veterinary Office in the county helped to seal her backing for Mr Ahern.
While Ms Fox was giving details in the Dail yesterday of the package of promises she had secured, the outgoing Minister for Finance, Mr Ruairi Quinn, quipped: "She is certainly in possession now!"
Ms Fox says she will support the government for its full duration unless there is some unforeseen scandal".
Steadfastly refusing to elaborate on precisely what promises he managed to secure, Mr HealyRae said it had taken until yesterday morning to finalise matters with the incoming Taoiseach. He added: "But I got what I was looking for." Exactly how much he had procured was "between him and the people of south Kerry".
He claimed that action would begin "from next week on". Referring to the road improvements he anticipates as a result of his negotiations with Mr Ahern, he said that a few dikes would be opened and a few potholes filled. "We'll get a hell of a lot more as well as that", he added.
According to Fianna Fail sources, plans will be put in place to allow additional spending on regional roads. In addition to accelerating secondary and main road improvements in south Kerry, it is understood that Mr HealyRae also received a commitment to place an alternative industry without delay in the former Pretty Polly factory in Killarney.
The factory once employed up to 1,200 people, and Mr HealyRae has insisted that a company with strong employment prospects should be located on the vacant site. It is not clear at this point what industry will be targeted to meet his demands, but Mr Ahern has told him he will give the matter priority treatment.
Mr HealyRae, who will not be returning to the Fianna Fail fold but has made a commitment to support the new Government for its full duration, also received pledges on protecting hill farmers through improved premium payments. The plight of small fishermen will also be attended to: it is believed this involves extra spending on grants for craft improvement or replacement and on the provision of adequate piers for small fishing boats.
In terms of actual material gain Mr HealyRae has probably fared best of all the Independents.
Mr Blaney had two meetings with Mr Ahern and their discussions covered two subjects of most critical concern to the Donegal, TD, Northern Ireland and another referendum on abortion. Mr Blaney told reporters at Leinster House yesterday that he was satisfied with Mr Ahern's assurances that abortion would be dealt with in a Green Paper.
After saying earlier that he could not understand how Fianna Fail could coalesce with the Progressive Democrats, given that party's stance on Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution, Mr Blaney confirmed that he had received assurances from Mr Ahern that the Constitution would only be amended in the context of an overall settlement on Northern Ireland.
It is understood that Mr Blaney was also told that his constituency's roads and infrastructure would be well looked after in a Fianna Fail led government.
"My support for the Taoiseach will be given if we agree on any matter that comes before the House", he said.