Delegates passed a Dublin Rathdown motion calling on the party to publicly rule out going into government with Fine Gael after the next general election.

Dublin Rathdown delegate Ann Murphy told a poorly attended session on organisation that she was a longtime member of the party.

She believed, she said, from reading the newspapers, that a “certain element’’ within the parliamentary party was seriously thinking of going into government with Fine Gael.

“I do not want my vote, when I give it, to go to Fine Gael, because we differ completely on many, many major aspects of policy,’’ Ms Murphy said.

Fianna Fáil, unlike Fine Gael, she said, had always reached out to develop policies on education to create prosperity. It was a former Fianna Fáil minister, Donogh O'Malley, who first provided education for the poor, while another former FF minister, Dr Patrick Hillery, had introduced the regional colleges.

“Up to that, it was only the rich, or the extremely clever, who could go to third-level,’’ said Ms Murphy.

She said Fianna Fáil should wait for a few elections before considering going back into government.

“Our first aspiration should be to double our votes in the next election and to form responsible opposition, which we are doing at the moment.”

No indication

Cork North Central delegate

Amy Muller

said the Dublin Rathdown motion was very absolute.

“We really have no indication as to how the result of the general election will go,’’ she added.

Offaly delegate Stephen Mather said that while he was opposed to going into government with Fine Gael, it was "arrogance beyond belief'' to be talking at this stage about the issue – "The people will decide, on election day, what the numbers are."

Delegates also passed a Donegal motion calling on Fianna Fáil not to go into government after the election as a minority party.

Also passed was a Westmeath motion demanding “strict and clear internal party disciplinary regulations’’ to deal with any members who brought the party into disrepute.