The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said Fianna Fáil would have to introduce "policy changes" before the next general election, which he said would take place in summer 2007.
While not specifying what policies should be changed, Mr Ahern said on RTÉ radio that the party also needed to address organisational issues in the wake of its poor performance in the elections last month. His remarks came ahead of a meeting today of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party, at which TDs and senators will continue the post-mortem of the party's worst local election since the 1920s.
Mr Ahern attributed the "bad local election" and "disappointing" European poll to complacency in some areas of the party, and he acknowledged that Fianna Fáil would face a number of challenges before the next general election.
"I honestly think that Fianna Fáil have a number of things to do organisationally; it's not just about personality. I think organisationally, and maybe in some policy areas, we have a real challenge, and some things we have to change."
TDs and senators will be given an opportunity at the meeting today to air their analysis of the party's performance with Mr Ahern and other Fianna Fáil Cabinet members.
The meeting also comes before the Taoiseach meets in private with up to 23 TDs tomorrow and on Thursday.
Such engagements are seen by some TDs as an opportunity to present their case for promotion in advance of Mr Ahern's Cabinet reshuffle in September. However, some in the party have played this down.
Amid sustained criticism of the influence of the PDs on Government policy, the meeting is likely to hear demands for Fianna Fáil to refocus on the party's social roots.
