Updated at 1.40pm 

TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY held talks with members of the Independent Alliance today, as part of the first tentative steps towards forming the next government.

Finian McGrath, the independent from Dublin Bay North, has described the meeting as “positive and constructive”.

The Fine Gael leader had agreed to examine their proposals, he added.

Both Kenny and Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin are attempting to gain the support of independents and smaller parties ahead of the vote for Taoiseach next Thursday.

Business resumes 

Politicians have been returning to Leinster House this week in the wake of the election.

As a considerably larger Fianna Fáil contingent arrived yesterday some TDs said there was a real prospect of the party being part of the next government, though others said they believed they would remain in opposition.

Michael Noonan, in Fine Gael’s parliamentary party meeting yesterday, told TDs he expected another election within two years.

The party’s wish for a continuation of its coalition with Labour was not granted by the electorate and it now has to look elsewhere.

Both of the two main parties are due to speak with independents and smaller parties in the coming days.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, McGrath said his grouping – which also includes the likes of Shane Ross and Michael Fitzmaurice – would also be meeting with Martin.

“We’ll present our Charter for Change and say to all the political parties you have a look at the issues that we’re putting in our charter – you come back to us if you have a sensible, costed response to our proposals,” McGrath said.

He said he and his fellow TDs – there were six IA members elected – would discuss the offers from each side.

He added that they were also talking to other TDs in a bid to boost the numbers in their negotiating group to ten.

The Social Democrats and Green representatives are likely to be the most attractive options for both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. More left-wing TDs have already ruled out supporting either of the parties unless they drastically change their policies.

Sinn Féin, too, has said it would not support either a Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil Taoiseach in the 32nd Dáil.

With reporting by Daragh Brophy. 

Read: A bigger and buoyant Fianna Fáil was ‘back in business’ at Leinster House today>

Read: Noonan predicts another election, as Fine Gael discusses its poll battering>