The new leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, will recommend that the party does not rule out a coalition with Fianna Fail or Fine Gael after the next general election.
In a significant shift in the party's electoral strategy, he said Labour would be equally disposed towards coalition with either party to have its policies implemented.
He made a firm presentation of Labour as "a party of government" within an hour of succeeding Mr Dick Spring to become the eighth leader of the party yesterday.
He beat Mr Brendan Howlin by 37 votes to 27 in a secret ballot of the 64-member electorate of the parliamentary party and the general council. Mr Howlin was unanimously elected deputy leader, to succeed Mr Quinn, at the meeting.
At his first press conference Mr Quinn made a commitment to work as hard as he could to make the party "fit and strong again". His aim, he said, was to have a Labour TD elected in each of the 41 constituencies.
"It is achievable," he added, "and if we achieve it, it will ensure that a Government cannot be formed in this country without the Labour Party's participation or support."
He said he would be consulting with Mr Howlin, Mr Spring and the parliamentary party about the appointment of his new front bench in due course.
The main thrust of his first message as leader - which will have a profound effect on the future arithmetic of the Dail - was that "the Labour Party wants to get back into Government, not for the sake of office or prestige, so that we can transform this country".
Having paid a handsome tribute to Mr Spring, Mr Quinn stated that the days of division and divisiveness were long over in the party "and, under my leadership, they will not return", he said.
He categorically ruled out entering Government with Fianna Fail without a general election should the current minority Coalition collapse. In the event of Fianna Fail losing the support of Independents and a request being made to Labour to form a Government, he would recommend that there should be a general election, he said.
Turning to Labour's coalition options, Mr Quinn stated: "We will make the decision as to who we will form a coalition with on the basis of their response to our policy agenda. I will be recommending to the party that we do not rule out any combination in advance of going into an election, and that we would have one value over-riding every other consideration, which would be the maximisation of the implementation of Labour Party policy into legislative, economic and social reality."
He later said he recognised the strength of the Fianna Fail party throughout the country and the abilities it contained. He, likewise, recognised the very good working relationship he had had with Mr John Bruton and Mr Proinsias De Rossa.
He was careful to spell out, however, that when the party next went into Government - "with whoever" - that it would be decided by a national conference of the whole party.
