THE right wing pro family parties are considering forming a broad Christian alliance to draw up unified policies challenging the liberal agenda.
The leader of the National Party, Mrs Nora Bennis, and the chairman of the Christian Centrist Party, Mr Frank Flanagan, are among those who have had exploratory discussions about setting up an umbrella group.
The other parties involved in the talks are the Christian Solidarity Party and Mr Na hEireann. Retired High Court judge Mr Rory O'Hanlon has also taken part in discussions.
A spokesman for Muintir Na hEireann, Mr Fintan Dunne, said the party had held "a series of meetings" with the leaders of the pro family parties and Christian campaigners over the past month.
He said a future Christian alliance would not be a new movement or political party but an umbrella group to "foster unity" between pro family parties. "It's a mechanism for Christian parties and individual Christian candidates to come together to maximise their impact at the election," he said.
Such a grouping would be the first alliance between the small pro family parties, which have been characterised by splits in the past.
Mr O'Hanlon, who chaired the No Divorce Campaign at the 1995 referendum, confirmed he had been involved in discussions on proposals for a Christian alliance.
He said he was "very interested and would like to help it in any way that I could in its formative stage".
Mrs Bennis said she was "definitely interested" in a unified pro family force, but her "immediate priority" was to field National Party candidates for the next election. She said her involvement in any Christian alliance would have to wait until after the election.
Limerick based Mrs Bennis, founded the right wing Solidarity, political movement in July 1994. She stepped down as leader of Solidarity in December 1995 to form the National Party.
Mr Flanagan said his party executive would meet today to discuss the proposals.
Mr Duane said he will make a presentation on the proposals to, the executive of the Christian Solidarity Party next Saturday. The party's leader, Mr Ger Casey, could not be reached for comment last night.