The Fine Gael party is holding its first Front Bench meeting of the year in Co Cork today to discuss its strategy for the next general election and candidate selection across all 42 constituencies of the State.
The meeting in Mallow will also discuss ways of highlighting what the party has described as "the Government's management and leadership failures".
The Taoiseach has repeatedly insisted that the Government will serve its full term and there will not be an election until 2002. However opposition parties are believed to be on an election footing.
Last week it emerged that Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party had cancelled all holiday leave in May and June of this year for party officers and administrative staff.
Meanwhile the Labour leader Mr Ruairi Quinn is launching his party's National Spatial Plan Visions of Irelandin Dublin today.
The plan will focus on the economic and social development of the State over the next 15 years. The party says the plan will take particular account of developing infrastructure in the west and north-west.
Speaking at the launch Mr Quinn said: "We want to reconnect the country to itself. We want to make sure that the West and the North West are in the same position as the East to avail of the opportunities of the future.
"We want to ensure that the day to day delays in simply getting round in Dublin and adjoining counties, doesn't get worse in coming years.
"In summary, we believe that connecting the country to itself again is in all out interests."
