A massive investment in commuter rail services in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford is being proposed by the Progressive Democrats for inclusion in the review of the programme for government.
Fianna Fail and the PDs had been expected to exchange written policy documents by the end of last week, but with key personnel on both sides on holidays, it seems likely that these documents will not be exchanged until the end of the month.
The PD document will emphasise investment in transport, The Irish Times has learnt. One PD source said the document would include "radical proposals for transport developments in all of the cities in the country". The non-Dublin commuter rail developments would be in addition to expansion of both the DART and Luas services in the capital.
It is understood the PDs are seeking the development of a rail service from Shannon Airport to both Limerick City and Ennis in Co Clare. A PD source said: "The infrastructure is already there. It's a matter of spending money on upgrading the line to make it operational."
A similar situation exists in Co Cork where the PD plan envisages reopening the rail service between Cork city and Midleton. In Co Galway, Oranmore and Athenry would be linked by rail with Galway city.
The PDs will be pushing Fianna Fail for a commitment to private sector investment in all major infrastructural projects, including the commuter rail developments.
The cost of the rail developments will run to hundreds of millions of pounds. The track from Midleton to Cork city would cost about £25 million. The second strand of the PD transport proposals is believed to involve a liberalisation of taxi licensing laws and greater competition for Dublin Bus.
The Progressive Democrats' negotiating team, led by Ms Liz O'Donnell and Mr Bobby Molloy, has had a number of meetings to assess the key policy areas for submission to the review group. A PD spokesman said the party will seeking to tie all policy proposals to "ambitious timetables to re-invigorate the programme for government up to 2002".
Along with their transport proposals, the PDs are also understood to be seeking a new time table for the introduction of a £100-a-week old-age pension. The Government has given a commitment to reach that figure by 2002, but with the continued strong economic performance the PDs want to fulfil the pledge sooner.
Fianna Fail's team at the review talks will be led by the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, and the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey. A Fianna Fail source said both the Taoiseach and Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, "will also be centrally involved in preparing the review document".
There would appear to be no indication that a review of the present electoral system along the lines suggested recently by Mr Dempsey and Mr McCreevy will be included in the new programme for government.
The PDs are believed to have already seen the draft Fianna Fail paper but an exchange of completed policy proposals between the two parties will not happen until the end of the month.
The Fianna Fail and PD negotiating teams are expected to meet in September. The coalition plans to publish a revised version of its programme for government by the end of September.