FG/Labour voting transfer pact: The leaders of Fine Gael and Labour have claimed success for their voting transfer pact in the Meath and Kildare North byelections.
In a statement yesterday, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said he was "delighted that our transfer pact with the Labour Party worked extremely well".
He said he hoped the pact would continue for the general election, while Labour leader Pat Rabbitte also indicated he favoured an electoral pact.
Mr Kenny said: "The results confirmed the verdict delivered last June that the people are tired of this Government and will be open to change when the next general election is held."
Speaking on RTÉ radio, Mr Kenny also discounted observations that the transfer rate of 40 per cent from Labour to Fine Gael was low. "I think it is fair to take into account that Catherine Murphy was a former Labour member and was still in the race at the time.
"I think the more important thing is that this is the first time really in these two byelections that we had a formal pact for a vote transfer, both under my own leadership and Pat Rabbitte's."
Mr Rabbitte defended the pact on RTÉ News. "The Irish people want to have a choice at the next general election and I think that it was a very tight performance given the circumstances," he said.
Fine Gael said it was the only party to increase its percentage of the vote in both constituencies, and its analysis of tally figures suggested an effective transfer rate from Labour to Fine Gael of more than 60 per cent - "considerably stronger" than the transfer rate between the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil.
Mr Kenny said: "I think there is a recognition that the Government have actually grown too comfortable in office...and that they just haven't actually delivered on what they were supposed to do."
Meanwhile, in an interview on TV3, the Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent said he would not be a member of any Fianna Fáil-Green Party cabinet. "I wouldn't serve in government with Fianna Fáil", he said.