In the speech at Citywest eight days ago, Kenny claimed he was offering "something the people of Ireland have never had before.

A contract. A political contract, which I call the Contract for a Better Ireland. Conradh le Muintir na hEireann [contract with the people of Ireland]".

The concept was criticised by Fianna Fail as "a gesture" based on the Republican Party's successful 'Contract with America' in the 1994 congressional election campaign. However, the Sunday Tribune can reveal that Michael Noonan also promised "a contract with the Irish people" six years ago, just after becoming leader of Fine Gael.

At a party rally of 1,000 supporters in Limerick in February 2001, Noonan said he was offering the people of Ireland a new social contract with hard work in the economy being rewarded by proper health and education services, by decent pensions and good healthcare when people get old.

"The contract is always a bargain and the contract I am proposing to the people is that, if we ask you to work in a very competitive economy and help to create wealth in an economy where the labour market is flexible, and you could become redundant and you might have to change jobs, the bargain is that Fine Gael in government will give you proper health services for yourself and the family; we will give education for your children and we will give you an assurance that as you go into a ripe old age, you will have decent pensions and you will be looked after. That's the social contract I want for the people of Ireland, " declared Noonan in a rousing address.

In his ardfheis speech last weekend, Noonan's successor, Enda Kenny, promised not to put himself forward for election if he didn't fulfil what was promised in the 'Contract for a Better Ireland'. He told delegates the contract guaranteed: free health insurance for ever child under 16; free GP visits for under-fives; 2,300 more hospital beds; 2,000 more gardai; lower income tax; tougher sentences for criminals; free pre-school education; lower incomes taxes for every taxpayer and reform of stamp duty .