The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has confirmed that there is "potential disagreement" among the Coalition partners over Fine Gael's proposal to increase Garda powers to detain suspects without charge.
In a policy document published last Friday, Fine Gael said it "will introduce 48 hour detention for all murder crimes and not just those involving the use of firearms. At present, detention for up to 48 hours can only be used where a firearm was used in the commissioning of the crime."
Asked about the proposal on RTE radio yesterday, Mr Spring acknowledged there was "potential disagreement" over the proposal for longer detention periods.
"That is something that I would certainly have to be convinced of the necessity of. It's put forward in the context of a manifesto position by Fine Gael and we will obviously be prepared to discuss that with them and to examine it on its merits." However, he said he might eventually be convinced that the measure was necessary.
A spokesman for Democratic Left said its position was similar to Labour's. "You'd have to take great care with any proposal like that. It would be a significant departure from the norm, but it's something that may be required," he said.
The Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, told the Cabinet last week that she has asked the Department to study all the Garda detention powers. Now they can hold any one suspected of using a firearm for up to 48 hours under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
For other serious crimes 12 hour detention is the norm, while under last year's Drug Trafficking Act major trafficking suspects can be detained for up to seven days. Senior gardai have long sought a change in the law.
Mrs Owen expressed confidence yesterday that any potential disagreements among the Coalition partners could be overcome.
"What we have done through the 2 1/2 years, particularly in the area of crime but in other areas of policy, is to allow partnership to work to get the broad base of three parties' views on various issues. That's what has worked," she said.
Other Fine Gael proposals include a suggestion that people on employment schemes could become quasi police officers, to be called "civic warders".
"What we have in mind here is using something like the community employment scheme where you could take people in, who could assist the police in control of crowds perhaps, or control of traffic, or at football matches," Mrs Owen said. The nearest to this in other Rainbow proposals is Labour's suggestion for part time gardai.
The Fianna Fail justice spokesman, Mr John O'Donoghue, said the Government parties' crime policies differed. "The word `split' does not really do justice to the differences," he said.
However, there are also significant differences between the crime policies of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats.
The PDs have promised "zero tolerance" policing if elected to power. However, Fianna Fail has acknowledged the need for extra gardai and prison places first and has not committed itself to a time scale, other than "as soon as possible" and within the lifetime of the next government.
Neither the Progressive Democrats nor Fianna Fail have suggested extended Garda detention powers, along the lines of the Fine Gael proposal, in their manifestos.