The prospect of a merger between Labour and Democratic Left has gained momentum, following Mr Ruairi Quinn's declaration that he is strongly in favour of such a move.
At the end of a two-day meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party in Dromineer, Co Tipperary, Mr Quinn was asked by reporters if he favoured a merger. "It would be desirable," he replied. "It would be good for the politics of the country."
"A strong Labour Party has the ability to alter the quality of people's lives. It is fair to say, in the discussions between Democratic Left and ourselves, there is agreement in ideological terms. We have a shared vision if it could be made to work," he said.
Accepting that people in his own party and in Democratic Left felt disquiet at the prospect of a merger, Mr Quinn said these issues had to be addressed.
"I accept that fears exist and that is based on their analysis of how they are located," he added.
However, he had to do what was best for those who depended on the Labour Party. "I have to take the broader and historical view, minimising the difficulties that may be there," he said.
A "new formation" could produce 30 to 40 Dail seats. After the 1992 election, Labour and Democratic Left had a combined strength of 39 seats. The parties now wished to replace competition with cohesion.
Mr Brendan Howlin, deputy leader of the Labour Party and head of the team negotiating with Democratic Left, insisted it would be wrong to think that any deal had been done between them.
"It is my view, as it is Ruairi's view, that every concern of every member must be weighed," he said. If, however, a deal was "doable", it would take as long as it took.
"There is no X-date when it has to be resolved. There is no suggestion that this issue is decided upon. There is no definitive framework that says this is what the final package will be," Mr Howlin added.
The entire project involving negotiations towards a closer alliance of the two parties was based on a traditional Labour aspiration to build left unity.
"Historically, this is the right deal to do if it can be accepted by the broad mass of the Labour Party," Mr Howlin said.
At the end of yesterday's deliberations, Mr Howlin told his colleagues of the steps taken to date in forging unity with Democratic Left. It will be debated further at a meeting of the party's general council in Dublin tomorrow, where Labour's negotiating team is expected to be mandated to proceed with further talks with the smaller party.
The purpose of the Dromineer meeting was to provide members with an opportunity to discuss social and economic concerns before the Dail resumes for its autumn term next Wednesday.
Mr Quinn confirmed that the party had identified health, housing and the failure of the present economic boom to reach all areas of Irish society as major avenues of attack on the Government.
Although the economy was doing well, the Government was not, he said. In response to the housing crisis it should declare an immediate emergency and also seriously tackle the growing health queues.
People in Irish society were "crying out" for assistance and to have their problems recognised.