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FIANNA FÁIL AND Fine Gael are set to resume government formation talks on Monday ahead of the Dáil returning later this month.
Talks were paused before Christmas, with both parties saying “progress” had been made up to that point.
Members of Fine Gael’s negotiating team resumed work on their desired programme for government yesterday.
Updates on the progress of talks are being kept under wraps by the negotiating teams of each party, with Helen McEntee leading the Fine Gael team and Jack Chambers leading the Fianna Fáil one.
The Social Democrats and the Regional Independents technical group both remain at the negotiating table, after the Labour Party walked away just before the Christmas holidays citing policy differences.
It is understood the negotiating teams of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will meet again over the course of next week, with meetings also planned individually with some members of the Regional Independents.
The Regional Indendents technical group is understood to be headed up by Tipperary TD Michael Lowry, although other TDs in the group have stressed that the collection of TDs are not aligned on policies and will be considering the merits of government on an individual basis.
The Social Democrats will have a meeting of their parliamentary party first before any further meetings are lined up.
Although the Social Democrats remain in negotiations, it appears as though the most likely outcome will be that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will go back into Government together with the support of the Regional Independents after both parties backed Independent TD Verona Murphy as their pick for Ceann Comhairle.
The Regional Independent group is made up of nine TDs: Sean Canney; Marian Harkin; Barry Heneghan; Noel Grealish; Michael Lowry; Kevin (Boxer) Moran; Verona Murphy; Gillian Toole; and Carol Nolan.
It is understood that apart from the more local asks on their wish lists, housing is one of the group’s priorities.
It is further understood the group is seeking one ministry position and a couple of junior minister roles.
Speaking earlier in December, outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris said the new government should ideally be up and running by the time Donald Trump is inaugerated as President in the US on 20 January.
“Any party that goes into government, including my own, would have to consult our own membership and seek a mandate from them, but I’d be very disappointed if we’re not in a position to form a new government in January,” he said.
With just two weeks to go, it is unclear if enough progress has been made to make this timeframe still workable. According to a senior government source however, this remains the aim.
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Should have been sorted before the Christmas break. They already know what the shape of the new government is. It’s just the arm wrestle for the big jobs left to do.
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: Will you miss Eamon Ryan, Ollie?
@Dave Callaghan: As much as I would miss a hangover Dave!!!
He’s riding off into the sunset with his saddle bags stuffed with our hard earned cash, the Cabbage Head Cowboy!!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: Disgraceful, dragging the arse out of it, to give themselves a longer break, Cartels using the vacuum to drive up prices, the working Irish people are only pawns in a game now, we need to rattle those in the Dail, before it’s too late.
@SV3tN8M4: we had the chance but said baaaaaaaaa
@SV3tN8M4: It should be like the Papal election! The interested parties should be locked in a room until they form and announce the new government.
Alternatively they could be stopped pay until they form a government. It wouldn’t take too long then in either scenario!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: they do not care about that, or the people.
then first order will be to look after themselves. mark my words
No rush at all lads, we’ve only the 15 thousand homeless now. Take yizzer time.
@Brian Dunne: that’s exactly they’re paid far too high for doing very little they should have less holidays taking all these breaks as if everything is Rosie in the garden. It’s an absolute disgrace. We should demand that they work more and do their jobs properly.
@Brian Dunne: Not an ounce of shame in Simon Harris or Micheal Martin & the Fine Gael & Fianna Fail parties at those figures, beyond words, beyond contempt. They continue to add thousands of people monthly with their Immigration policies, it’s akin to pumping thousands of gallons of water into an already flooded zone. Harris & Martin don’t lose an ounce of sleep at 4,600 children living in emergency accommodation, shameful. History won’t be kind, it will be their legacy.
@Brian Dunne: They seem to be waiting for it to sort itself out. Not a thought or action for th 4k plus poor children. Shame .
@Brian Dunne: How many who’s life choices have chosen absolute dependency on drugs and anti social dependent relationships
Its actually really cute tea boy Harris and Langer Martin still have their supporters believing they are seperate parties when anyone who isnt a member of their cult knows FFG are literally one of the same……I cant wait to see what they have to give to the likes of Lowry in order in order to make up the numbers. Probably enact a law that he or any his mates wont ever have to seek planning permission again or something to that effect cos they are dealing with the most corrupt lad in Irish politics ever
@Patrick Newell: don’t be horrible to mr lowery pat…..
Sure didn’t he make DOB a billionaire outa kindness
He’s a great man for pot hole fixing and planning fixing…..a great Irish patriot…
@David Cotter: You are right there of course, without Lowry the great tribunal attendee DOB would have never gotten to the point where he became rich enough to be the puppet master of a certain party in this country…..Lowry deserves a saint hood
@Patrick Newell: Who would you suggest we should vote for?
@Vincent Alexander: this isnt about voting, thats over time for them to go do their jobs that they are more than well paid for. Panto season is over, the country has major issues that need sorting like finding someone to get a grip on the health service sinking faster than a politicians morals
@Patrick Newell: They are two separate parties. It is mainly supporters of SF that try to equate them as one party. PS Name calling seems to be part of the same agenda. It might get a laugh at the local cumann but not outside it.
@Vincent Alexander: Ah the usual nonsense, if ya dont like FFG u are assumed to be a shinner….no wonder so many didnt vote in the election. U will find this as a shock lad, but plenty see FFG and the shinners as no good for this country and same goes for their support
@Patrick Newell: Going on 1st preference votes that is about 40%. They should form a party – anti FF, FG and SF as the main policy.
@Patrick Newell:
So who does that leave to vote for, Maybe the Trust Fund Socialists?
God love us all
@Dave O Neill: Thankfully they can now stop out lefting the lefts destructive policies and get on with building homes and infrastructure.
Families homeless over Christmas again and living in shelters. Other homeless on the streets in this cold weather yet the two cheeks of the same arse are sitting on their hands
We all knew what the make up of the government was before a vote was cast but they decided they needed a Christmas break.
It’s nothing more than a dereliction of duty, should be ashamed but why would they
@Paul Harvey: Once the budget was passed the Dept of Housing know how much they have to spend in 2025. Its up to the Local Authorities to claim this money down to build/buy houses, central Government don’t provide houses.
One thing they could do is to try and streamline the approval and drawdown stages but you will find that a lot of the delays in social housing provision are on the local authority side.
More Austerity Measures forthcoming so, more lavish spending by the government to benefit their self. I wonder will we see recommencing of the reopening Western Rail Corridor? and the M20 between Patrickswell in Limerick to Blarney in Cork commence construction? , The M17 Tuam in Galway to Collooney in Sligo? Or Will we see a Galway city bypass?
Time will tell , but probably we won’t see any of these projects get moved on
@Tommy: not a chance Tommy. C H Ryan knocked those on the head to fulfill his own pet projects!!!
@Tommy: They have started distributing the high tax yield from Apple and other job creators already. Welfare recipients have started getting the extra money. Ireland is the go to country in the world as proved by people voting with their feet fleeing dysfunctional non democratic countries.
@thomas molloy: while our younger generations are forced to flee their homes rather than being caught up in a mere survival life working to pay exorbitant rents or if very very lucky home prices. Wondering if their children are going to get a proper education or medical cover if needed.
@thomas molloy: The young people don’t vote, they are so disillusioned they don’t see the point, as nothing changes. They watch now as Michael Lowry dictates the format of the next Govt, a man whose position enabled people like Denis O Brien & Ben Dunne. They have abandoned young working Irish people & are bending over backwards for male migrants from the Middle East & Africa. Harris wants to know how Hutch got so many votes, look inwards at your performance you Dick.
@SV3tN8M4: Work for our multinational pals or leave.
@John Mc Dermott:
The so called left and Sinn Fein are the ones calling for open borders
Makes Irish people proud to see independent TDs being bought and who will stay bought …even the Healy raes wanted in
These politicians are really out for themselves….
@David Cotter: Michael Healy Rae is a Hypocrite who talks out of both sides of his mouth, making Millions out of Immigration. Cries when he was attacked, not a peep out of him, when their own were beating the shit out of innocent holiday makers in the town.
@SV3tN8M4: Not from Kerry but he’s does what It says on the tin lm from Kerry l look after Kerry people end of the story. Sinara
Negotiations around what date they can get to 20 thousand homeless. How they look in the mirror I will never know
@Furious George – The Wasp: if they can bear to look, not when they see a rodent looking back at them
Does it matter which non experts get the top jobs across a swath of sectors they know nothing about or care not to fix? the coming years will be filled with PR and spin, and little all in the ay of building anything
@Thesaltyurchin: Have Eamonn’s 10 Special Advisors been given a deal since, not a peep on those 10 Geniuses that cost us a fortune & helped destroy our country.
@Thesaltyurchin: And SF will install Mr Murphy in the Seanad.
It boils my piss just looking at that picture of that pair of total spoofers.
All that nonsense about when the vote would be called, then the total sham of a campaign, now this Punch and Judy show about government formation, and all the while the muppets on the regime-controlled media take it all oh so seriously.
The absolute hack of the lot of them.
@Marjory: Let’s not forget Simon Harris telling us all live on TV, that there would be no Election in 2024, this Govt was going to serve it’s full term, no substance to the guy at all, not an ounce of credibility as Kanturk showed.
@John Mc Dermott:
That was before Typhoid Mary’s Shinners were exposed trying to cover up the Pedos.
To vote ffy once may be considered an accident but to keep doing it over and over and over is just cowardly ignorance
@Robert Halvey: Or. “If it works don’t break it”
@thomas molloy: But it doesn’t work.
@Robert Halvey: unfortunately the alternatives are far worse
@Ciaran Miller: so you KNOW that past FFG governments don’t work, but you would rather have more of same as you SURMISE the untested alternative would be worse. Fear of the unknown is deep within you.
@North Phone Bowe: have SF not been tested in other jurisdictions and failed on every detail they criticise others for?
@Darius Guppy: 1 completely dis functional other ‘ jurisdiction’, fully dependent on a very restricted budget allocation. No comparison whatsoever.
@North Phone Bowe: SF have being busying themselves in the other jurisdiction with the promotion of he naming of street names in Irish. There are major problems there with health, housing and pollution and yet SF’s focus is the language.
@North Phone Bowe:
Irish people voted for Stability.
The set of bagpipes and her Shouty man deputy leader plus the left run by Trust Fund Socialists scare the Irish.
@North Phone Bowe:
Restrected budget allocation?
They get 15 billion euro a year from the mainland, do not have to worry about raising revenue, They are the leading party, have one of the party members as finance ministers, and they still make a mess of it.
Hopefully the new Government will grow a pair and start repairing our energy infrastructure which Ryan and his Muppet party destroyed. Open up the Cork gas field. Build a LPG terminal for a start along with gas turbine generators. No energy equals no jobs and no more houses. Multiple nationals are already planning to move out of our high cost country. Watch them go to Eastern Europe. Germany is buggered by the Greens and is going down the tubes. Watch us follow. Government should do their job here and not be using Middle East to distract from their incompetence.
@gregory pym: More concern for World politics & those arriving here weekly in record numbers, they have abandoned Irish workers, country is in for a massive shock if a crash hits, who is going to pay for all our new arrivals.
@SV3tN8M4: the stewpld Irish will
@gregory pym: China on the other had have industrialised ‘green’ to amazing levels. Money to be made, just not by Ireland lol! German will turn a corner too.
Harris & Micheal Martin racing around the Country in November in massive urgency promising the World, result comes in & they drag the arse out of Govt formation. Talks that are held by Mr. Tribunal himself, the man who enabled a Billionaire, with a Ceann Comhairle that was accused of bullying but got an NDA to silence the person, in the meantime since November, the Cost of Living has increased again, Groceries through the roof, Petrol, Diesel & Kerosene increased, Energy prices about to rocket again, but no urgency with our Govt formations, too busy arguing over Ministries. To cap it all, we have the useless pair of Helen Mc Entee & Jack Chambers in charge of talks, literally no hope for this country. Working families shat on again, no light at the end of the tunnel.
Less holidays and more work should be done this year
They really are a beautiful bunch of people with the greatest of ideas it’s no surprise they haven’t figured it out yet.
No surprise at all to see the usual ignorant contributors using childish nicknames.
@Sun Rise: I suppose we could downgrade Cabbage Head Ryan to ”Brussels Sprout Head Ryan” at this stage. Well spotted!
@Sun Rise: And yet you are still here posting and whining…..irony much
@Sun Rise: Still smarting on the demolition of your beloved party in the election, I see. So brave, that you hide behind a nom de plume.
Are you sure that your name is not Eamon?
What a crock of poo,the dogs on the street know the outcome Eejits.
So sometime in February, then
Two flies in Heaven talking, one says when I realized what I was eating, the end could not come fast enough
We are those flies.
@Dan Murphy: Good analogy, Simon Harris & Micheal Martin running around the Country in November feeding the people with shite, with their lies & unfortunately the Electorate believed it.
@SV3tN8M4: U are still anoyed UR gang didn’t get in,suck it up, Better the Devil you know
Ah sure, there’s no rush lads
Should these people supposedly running rhe country have so much time off its like a part time job
Should have been sorted before holidays and while they at it give themselves less holidays as they don’t deserve what holidays they get
No panic lads, you’ve earned the long break!
Amazing no hurry couldn’t work over the holidays like hotel workers gardai hse staff wasters
Another year closer to the children’s hospital being opening.
I’m disappointed that Labour prefers to be outside rather than implementing some of their key policies. They should try to obtain either the Ministry of Social Welfare or Public Expenditure.
I wonder how many citizens comment on this forum that didn’t bother casting thier vote,
Ohhhhh I forgot we don’t have one. Why bother.
In fairness our politicians really don’t give a shite and that’s including all elected people
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