The Greens met in Cork at the weekend, pondering exactly the same issue as all other political parties - how many seats are they likely to win in the election, writes Alison O'Connor, political reporter.
In their case the hope is to become a bigger force on the Irish political scene and possibly, for the first time, consider entering government as a coalition partner.
The party gathering was relatively relaxed, although not quite as laid back as the days when people could be seen knitting on the platform.
However, the Greens are serious about trying to increase their Dáil representation from two deputies - their leader, Mr Trevor Sargent and Mr John Gormley. The "magic" number mentioned at the conference was seven, to give the privileges of full party status in the Dáil.
The latest Irish Times/MRBI poll shows the Greens at 5 per cent and higher in Dublin, which would indicate that some increase in representation is possible, although not that many.
About 150 delegates attended the conference, covering a broad age profile. It was emphasised that the party's slogan for the general election "Green Politics - Clean Politics" covers not just the environment but also its view that Irish politics needs to be cleaned up.
Deputy leader Ms Mary White, a councillor and the party's candidate in Carlow/Kilkenny, said it was evident there was a perceptible shift among the electorate, "to get rid of sleaze, spin and schmaltz and to replace it with vision, trust and integrity".
"We have it, the people want it," she told delegates.
In his speech, Mr Sargent said people should know what they are getting when they vote Green, which has no historic coalition baggage. The possibility of coalition was the subject of lively debate.
The conference unanimously passed a motion, proposed by Mr Sargent and Mr Gormley, that the Green Party would stand on its own record, policies and manifesto and no pre-election pact with any other party. "The Green Party will ask the electorate to give it the strongest mandate possible in order to negotiate with other parties, after the election on the formation of the next government."
But another motion was passed that "viewed with concern the prospect of the party entering coalition government with either of the main established parties and what impact such involvement would have on the long-term prospects for the party".
Mr Antóin Lochraigh of the Meath Greens, who proposed that motion, said the party would suffer a loss of identity. "To entertain thoughts of entering into a partnership where we would be junior partners would be detrimental to the long-term prospects of the party . . ."
However, Mr Phil Kearney, Dublin South Central, to the sound of cheers said they had waited long enough. "For some of us this is the end of a 20-year project, we are ready to enter into government. The voters out there have waited long enough for a Green Party ready to enter into government. If the terms are right we will certainly enter into government."
Mr Sargent said the purest and best option would be an overall Green majority, "and that we could just get on with it", although this was unlikely. A pre-electoral pact should be ruled out, he said.
"There are people in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael who maybe should be in the Greens. But maybe their father or grandfather stood alongside some patriots in 1916 or 1922 and they feel some connection. We should be there to convince them to come over to the Greens, and leave them to make their own conscience work."
Mr Gormley said the Greens would not take the decision of coalition lightly and he would be very surprised if they ended up in an arrangement with Fianna Fáil.