Fine Gael and the Labour Party have moved to address their major electoral weakness by publishing proposals for the reform of financial management within the State, involving the introduction of spending controls and the promise of greater political and administrative accountability.
And, as an indication of their social concerns - coinciding with St Patrick's Day - they have undertaken to provide additional supports for Irish emigrants.
The alternative government has seized on the absence of the taoiseach and most of his ministers to grab the political limelight and to offer a new approach. Opinion polls have consistently shown that, when it comes to management of the economy, the Government parties are well ahead of Fine Gael and the Labour Party in terms of public trust. This policy document was clearly designed to close that credibility gap and to reassure the electorate that spending on major projects under a new government would be carefully assessed and tightly controlled.
As might be expected, the joint document concentrated on the past failures of government and on the waste generated in some projects. But it also offered new structures and procedures for managing important capital initiatives. It proposed that there should be open recruitment to the civil service at senior levels to attract needed expertise. It recommended the establishment of a strategic reserve fund. And it suggested the Taoiseach and Tánaiste should have a central role in setting strategic priorities and in assessing the performance of ministers.
The political balance in such a structure would point to a government of near-equals, with all major economic decisions made by Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbitte. And while accountability and responsibility was promised through the slogan "the buck stops here", political wriggle-room was still available in assessing ministerial performances. Mr Kenny only spoke of sacking ministers when asked what would happen to someone like Micheál Martin, who had abdicated responsibility in relation to PPARS and nursing home deductions.
Fine Gael and the Labour Party have now published a number of policy papers, including one on public service reform and benchmarking. The focus on reform has become part of a broader "rip-off Ireland" campaign directed at unhappy consumers and taxpayers. And while the entitlements of emigrants are unlikely to figure in an election, the focus on that subject will emphasise the social concerns of the alternative government parties.
A cat-and-mouse game is under way as Mr Kenny and Mr Rabbitte attempt to raise their credibility profile on the economy while denying the Government a clear view of their election manifesto. The taoiseach has insisted that an election will not be held until 2007. And the Minister for Defence said during the week: "the election campaign is effectively on". The statements are not necessarily incompatible. Last time out, in 2002, the Government remained on election footing for almost 18 months. The opposition parties face a delicate balancing act.