IN AN electioneering speech to his party's selection convention in Meath, Mr John Bruton laid out the broad tasks for the next government.
The Taoiseach listed what he saw as the achievements of the present Government, which "have set most of our people free ... from the shackles of the past - the shackles of debt and the shackles of dependency".
There were now 103,000 more people at work than when Fine Gael took office 1,500 more gardai on the beat; 50 per cent higher child benefit; significant reductions in tax and PRSI and free third level education.
"Ireland's present prosperity means that we are, at last, the masters of our own destiny."
Ireland was no longer just an economy, but "a nation in the fullest sense dreamed of by the State's founders 75 years ago". The big choice facing Irish people - now was how they intended to treat the million people in the North; who considered themselves part of another nation.
He said the Irish nation now had enough confidence in itself to begin a genuine process of reconciliation.
The great social task of the next government would be to rebuild a sense of community everywhere in Ireland.
"Group water schemes in rural areas are a good example of self help and help for others," he said.
The great political task for the next government would be to improve how the public service served its customers. "I want to see exceptional public service teams and individuals recognised and rewarded," he said. He also wanted public offices open in the evenings and on Saturdays.
"The biggest physical task of the next government will be to protect our environment, our clean water, our nuclear free atmosphere, our living countryside ... The great economic task of the government will be to navigate Ireland's path into the Europe of the single currency. Ireland's course will be our own. It will not be dictated by Britain. We are independent now."
. The Minister for Transport, Mr Dukes, is to meet the four deputies representing Dublin North to discuss measures to improve rail services in the area. This follows his acceptance of 4,600 letters from local people petitioning him to intervene.
The letters, which were gathered by the Green Party, call for late night, Sunday and bank holiday services.
. Fine Gael has selected Deputy Paul Connaughton and Ulick Burke to contest the East Galway constituency in the next general election.