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LAST UPDATE | 11 Dec 2024
THE INITIAL TALKS on the future programme for government between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been described as “positive and constructive”.
Both parties negotiating teams met in Government Buildings today.
Following today’s discussions, the two parties agreed to engage further on issues over the coming days.
Taoiseach Simon Harris and members of his negotiating team also met with representatives with Social Democrats this afternoon.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity to sit down with the Social Democrats today to discuss a number of key policy areas,” Harris said.
“I am very respectful of their party process and I look forward to hearing from them in the coming days.”
The Social Democrats deputy party leader Cian O’Callaghan said this evening that the parliamentary party will meet to discuss their next steps in government formation talks, stating that a decision on whether to progress will be made tomorrow.
Following the meeting with Harris, O’Callaghan said climate measures was a sticking point for the Social Democrats.
Earlier this morning, Harris said Independents are “very serious” about wanting to be the third partner in a potential coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
The Fine Gael leader was speaking to media before the final cabinet meeting of the year this morning. He said that there is a “clear way” for his party and Fianna Fáil to form a government, but that a majority is needed.
“That’s why the third element of the [next] government is really important. It seems to me, from my initial engagements, that Independents are very serious about wanting to be a part of that,” Harris said.
He added that he wants to see a coalition formed “ideally before” US President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office on 20 January, but stressed that all parties, including Fine Gael, must first seek a mandate from members to do so.
TD Michael Lowry, of the Regional Independent group, confirmed today that he has been invited to meet with Fine Gael’s Helen McEntee and Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers early next week to discuss and agree the structure and parameters for the group’s engagement in government formation talks.
Arising from those discussions the Regional Group’s will appoint their negotiators.
Asked today if he will be the next Taoiseach, Micheál Martin said Fianna Fáil will continue its discussions with other parties first. He noted, however, that he has been clear, since before the election, that he would like to be leader of the country.
Martin said he was aware that the public are anxious for discussions to wrap up quickly so a government can be formed soon. He did not say, however, if an agreement would be made by January.
“I respect the talks process and we’ll see what transpires,” he told reporters.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are meeting the Social Democrats today, separately, as government formation negotiations continue. Last week the Social Democrats ruled out a joint negotiating platform with its fellow left party Labour.
Though the party are serious about entering government, the Social Democrats has found itself embroiled in scandal – before TDs could take their seats – after newly-elected Eoin Hayes was suspended after he gave incorrect details about when he sold shares he held in a software firm that supplies technology to the Israeli Defence Forces.
Asked about the controversy, and whether it would impact today’s discussions, the Fianna Fáil leader said: “It’s a matter for the Social Democrats.”
“I’d have observations on that later but I think, for today’s meeting, we’ll focus on policy and substance.”
While there have been reports of a split within Labour as to whether or not the party should seek to enter a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, The Journal understands that there is now a “sense of uniformity” in the view that the party should not enter into government.
The Irish Independent has separately reported today that leader Ivana Bacik has internally ruled out going into government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil without the Social Democrats.
A final meeting with Labour’s governing council and members will take place this week where the party will decide its next move, a spokesperson said yesterday. The party is viewed as the only alternative to Independents for the third party in the next coalition.
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