Labour will not join any government after the election unless that government is committed to the six pledges at the core of the party's campaign, its leader Mr Ruairí Quinn said yesterday.
Mr Quinn said his aim was to provide European standards of public service. He was "a politician of conviction" and was not in politics to hold office but to hold power. During the campaign Labour would "put forward a clear social democratic vision of the road down which we want the people of Ireland to march".
He said he was more interested in what the next government would do rather than who was in it. "Labour will not join any government unless its six election pledges are met," he said. "If anyone wants to see a government that delivers on these pledges, then vote for the Labour Party."
The party's pledges involve broad commitments, some of which have already been fleshed out and others which will be elaborated on during the campaign. They commit Labour to :
providing free GP health care for all
providing a properly funded schools system
tackling the growing gap between rich and poor
providing more pre-school and childcare places
ending the means testing of the carers' allowance and
ensuring access to affordable housing.
"If our conference agrees," said Mr Quinn, "I will do business with anyone if they are willing to do our business." He held up Spain, Portugal and Greece as having the public services culture to which he wants Ireland to aspire.
"These countries are manifestly poorer than Ireland. So why is it that those three countries have a better infrastructure than Ireland, and a better medical service?
"There is one reason. All three have had socialist governments over time. They have a lower per capita income, but their better infrastructure and health services are as a result of subconscious or deliberate choices."
Asked about his preferred government partner, he repeated that he would like to see a Fine Gael/Labour/Green Party coalition. "Fianna Fáil have been in government since 1987 with the exception of 2½ years, and they are visibly tired. It is not good for democracy for one party to be in government for so long."
However, this choice would be made by the people, not by him. In any post-election talks the party's negotiation team, led by the deputy leader Mr Brendan Howlin, would be arguing for the implementation of its policies.
His party would wage a positive campaign. "We are not going to attack any individual or any personality." The country was at "a political, social, economic and spiritual crossroads".
He said all his life he had been told his ideas were too idealistic and unrealistic. "The Labour Party was good for conscience, but not good for running the country." This idea came from the old "Labour must wait" attitude, he said, but "Labour will wait no longer".
Mr Howlin said "the resurgence of Labour" would be the story of this election. "I have every confidence that the people of Ireland will return the largest \ parliamentary party in the history of the State."