Fianna Fáil TDs and the Progressive Democrats will today hold separate meetings to lay out their strategies for the coming political season.
FF TDs and senators will gather in Inchydoney in west Cork this morning for a two-day meeting that will emphasise the need for better social services.
As part of the party's effort to portray a softer political image, Fianna Fáil will hear from the head of the Conference of Religious in Ireland, Father Seán Healy, and others.
FF and the Progressive Democrats separately have come to the conclusion that they must identify short-term objectives that can be achieved before the next election. The Taoiseach has already identified the need for better accident and emergency services, more care for the disabled and funding for community employment schemes.
Meanwhile the Progressive Democrats will push for extra State funding to pay for nursing places for the elderly and for action on special needs education.Extra services can be paid for from the Exchequer without repeating the "splurge" that led Government spending to rise by 48 per cent in the two years before the 2002 election, Government figures believe.
Senator John Minihan (PD) said the junior coalition partner's one-day meeting would hear "an open and frank, but in no way fractious" discussion.
The PDs' future priorities would depend "on where our ministers end up after the reshuffle", Mr Minihan told The Irish Times last night.
