The four Independent TDs are to join forces to secure their new multi-million-pound demands before the start of the Dail term next month. The deputies, who are currently engaged in renegotiating deals for their continued support, have decided there is more strength in numbers. Individual negotiations are taking place at present, but there will be group consultation before any deals being finalised.
Ms Mildred Fox told The Irish Times yesterday that she and her colleagues, Mr Harry Blaney, Mr Thomas Gil-dea and Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, were considerably wiser going into this second round of negotiations.
"This time around we are not going in blind. We'll be a little bit more cagey or cautious. The last time we didn't really know each other. Our attitude this time is that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," she said.
Mr Healy-Rae (Kerry South) said they had decided this would be the most effective negotiating approach. "We'll all know exactly where we stand and what the position will be for a further two years. There are certain items that have not been sorted out," he said.
However, he would not be pressed on those details. "That is very confidential information."
Mr Blaney said one of his priority demands was the construction of a motorway from Dublin to Donegal. "Here in Donegal we have no access to railways, seaports or airports so a motorway would be one of my top priorities. In every other part of the country there are plans for motorways and dual carriageways going in all directions except Donegal," he said.
He also wants an airport built in Letterkenny, saying that Donegal County Council already owned a suitable site. "They are pouring money into the airport in Derry and we need one here," he said.
When this proposal was mooted a few years ago the cost was estimated at about £5 million but would have gone up considerably since then. He also wants the number of local authority houses built in Donegal each year increased by 50 to 300.
His Co Donegal colleague, Mr Thomas Gildea, said the cost of his new list of demands would top the estimated £31 million which he says has already been spent in his constituency as a result of his agreement with the Government. He did not wish to reveal the detail of his new demands.
The TDs, apart from Ms Fox, have begun their negotiations with civil servants. Ms Fox is due to have a meeting at the end of this week. Refusing to be drawn on what her new list of demands contained, Ms Fox said she had "a few things in mind".
The four are due to meet the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, when negotiations are more advanced.
Apart from constituency issues, abortion is top of the agenda for the group apart from Mr Healy-Rae. Mr Blaney said he would be discussing the issue with his two other colleagues shortly and they would see what "concrete proposals" were being put forward by the Government.
Mr Blaney has said that he accepts there will be no referendum before the end of the year, but if one were not held shortly his support would not be guaranteed. Mr Gildea said he wanted a "properly worded referendum".
Ms Fox wants a decision "either way" shortly, but if the Government decided to legislate rather than hold a referendum she would be going her separate way.