‘No bidding war’ at ard fheis, says FG

FINE Gael has categorically ruled out getting involved in a bidding war on tax cuts and spending promises during the party’s ard fheis in Dublin this weekend.

While refusing to rule out some “new announcements”, Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton said the Árd Fheis would not be a “manifesto launch” and that the party would not be making €300 million promises every minute, as Taoiseach Bertie Ahern did last Saturday.

“This ard fheis will not be about making promises that we cannot deliver,” insisted Mr Bruton.

Mr Bruton and health spokesman Liam Twomey yesterday launched the agenda for its two day conference, expected to be attended by some 5,000 delegates.

It is expected that the party will focus its new announcements not on the economy or on tax, but on crime and health.

“We have waited too long for this Government to deliver on their promises in the health area,” Dr Twomey said yesterday.

“With targeted measures on children’s health, preventative health and how our hospitals operate, I believe Fine Gael has a reform agenda that will make a real difference,” he said.

Mr Bruton said that the conference would concentrate on themes and focus in on issues such as tougher sentencing and electronic monitoring.

“Enda Kenny’s speech will be a natural development of policy,” he said.

The ard fheis kicks off in City West tonight with an address by Mr Kenny to delegates. Its televised segment tomorrow morning will be dominated by debates on health and crime.