The Opposition parties have cancelled all leave in anticipation of a general election this summer. Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the Green Party have told all party officers and administrative staff they are on alert for an election, and holiday leave is not being granted for May and June.
This is despite the protestations of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, who says the Government will run its full course until 2002.
The general secretary of Fine Gael, Mr Tom Curran, said last night he had made the decision and had communicated it to his staff.
"People just know anyway," he said. "We are basing it in terms of the major pluses of the last two Government budgets kicking in by April or May. That is the Government's first possibility really, and it is our job to be ready."
A spokesman for the Labour Party said they believed the Taoiseach was "protesting a little bit too much" about a 2002 election.
"The Labour Party has been put on an election footing. You would have to draw an inference from what his brother, Noel, said earlier this week about being ready for a summer election. We have everything ready to be put in place. Strategy, posters, all the aspects are covered."
He said the party would be standing in all constituencies and had selected three-quarters of its candidates already.
Mr Curran said Fine Gael had held 24 of its 42 selection conventions and expected to have all candidates chosen by the end of March.
He confirmed the Fine Gael snail would play its part, although maybe "under a new form or a new shell. But our campaign will certainly move faster than the traffic".
The notion of it cancelling leave for early summer drew mirth from a senior Fianna Fail source last night, although he confirmed it also had the majority of candidates selected.