Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has won support to form a voting transfer pact with Fine Gael following a vote amoung delegates at the party's annual conference in Tralee this morning.
After a vigorous two-hour debate the motion was passed by approximately 80 votes to 20 following a show of hands.
Speaking on RTE Radio One after the debate Mr Rabbitte said: "I think the issue is a tactical issue. At this time in our history this is the right thing for the Labour party. The Irish people will be looking for a choice at the time of the next general election."
"Our objective is to make the bedrock principals of the Labour Party the driving force of the next Government."
"If Fianna Fáil are returned to another period of office, they will be in a position to complete virtually a quarter of a century of unbroken rule.
"Unbroken patronage. Unbroken visits to the tent at the Galway Races. The only thing broken will be all the promises they made before, and all the promises they are preparing to make again," he said.
Asked was he ruling out any coalition with Fianna Fail, Mr Rabbitte replied: "How can people say to me I am supposed to provide full-blooded opposition to the Government for the next two years and then put them back in Government?"
Mr Rabbitte's plan for a pre-election pact with Fine Gael had been strongly opposed by leading figures in the Labour Party, including vice-chairman Henry Haughton, Dublin North TD Tommy Broughan and Wexford TD Brendan Howlin, who ran against Rabbitte for the leadership in 2002.
He said he did not favour leaving all options open and chose to bring forward this motion to be honest with the people.
"I think the voters know very well where I stand. My objective is to replace the parties in Government."
Party spokesman on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Howlin, had argued against the policy on the basis that it would reduce Labour to the status of "cheerleaders for Enda".
He said there was not completely right or completely wrong strategy. "The party has united [behind this decision]. It is done and dusted."
Senator Derek McDowell, also argued against the motion on the grounds that it appeared to make more difficult the aim of overtaking Fine Gael to become the second largest party in the State.
"It is more difficult for us to over take Fine Gael if we are in coalition with them and it is more difficult to put clear blue water between ourselves and Fine Gael," he said.