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FIANNA FÁIL’S SEAT majority “has to be reflected” in the next government, party leader Micheál Martin told reporters outside Leinster House today.
Asked today whether he will be the first Taoiseach in any rotating arrangement with Fine Gael, Martin said the 48-seat bloc of Fianna Fáil needs to be recognised in the “configuration and composition” of the next coalition.
Speaking after a parliamentary party meeting, Martin also confirmed that Fianna Fáil has approached independent TDs who, he said, “clearly have a potential role” in the government formation negotiations.
He added, however, that it was too early to detail his preferred third partner.
It is now widely accepted that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will again form a government with a third party and both party leaders confirmed as much today.
As Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are yet to find their third partner, the finer details (such as ministerial appointments) are yet to be hammered out. It is expected that the party leaders will share Oifig an Taoisigh again, in a rotating taoiseach arrangement.
Speaking to The Journal before the general election, Martin said he wants to lead the next government. Asked today if he thinks that will be the case, he said: “I’m entering into the negotiations with respect to everybody else.
“I think Fianna Fáil has secured a very significant number of seats on this occasion. That has to be reflected ultimately in the configuration and the composition of policy and structure of government.”
Fine Gael, it is understood, are advocating for ‘parity of esteem’ – meaning both groups have equal say over major decisions, appointments and power despite Harris’ party having ten fewer seats than Martin’s.
Martin, who appointed outgoing finance minister Jack Chambers as his party’s negotiator, said he has made “initial contact” with Harris and will continue discussions further with him in Edinburgh, Scotland where they will attend an British-Irish Council meeting on Friday.
Centre-left parties, such as Labour and the Social Democrats, were tipped as Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s preferred third coalition partner ahead of the general election.
But Labour has since said it will not go into government without another party of “shared values” and some in the Social Democrats are understood cautious following the Green Party’s recent wipeout in the general election.
Martin said his recent meeting with some independent TDs was to “sum down” their perspective on engaging both parties in the context of government formation.
Speaking later this afternoon ahead of Fine Gael’s first parliamentary party meeting, Simon Harris said his party was “open to engaging” with independent TDs about forming a coalition alongside Fianna Fáil.
He said, however, that he would not “negotiate in front of microphones in the rain”, referring to the wet conditions during the press conference on the side of the road. Harris added that he is approaching the talks with a “open mind”.
“We need to approach this from a point of mutual respect, from a point of grounding those discussions, in policy, in deliverables, in reflecting what we heard from people across the country and what we set out in our manifestos,” he told reporters.
Separately, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald today confirmed that she would be meeting with the two centre-left groups to discuss the possibility of them remaining out of government to form a “cohesive opposition”.
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Another brilliant idea that I didn’t think of
**shakes head**
How can it send an SMS text or relay your position if you are outside phone range at sea?
It doesnt relay position. it advises overdue. Position is available as last know position visible to the network which is pretty accurate if coastal
If you wish to minimise the “Search” in Search and Rescue, then dont play with apps, just use approved Marine Radio Safety equipment – the IMO say so and they are the International Authority on such matters:
http://www.imo.org/blast/mainframe.asp?topic_id=69&doc_id=581#mobiles
Mobile phones should not be promoted for use in maritime emergencies. VHF, EPIRBS, SART’s are the approved method of relaying your distress. This app may cause more harm than good with users relying solely on this disregarding the fact that mobile coverage is needed. The tit Bon homme tragedy shows just how deadly disregarding the correct methods on favor of a mobile phone can be. This goes against all training in good seamanship.
All proven points bit I think this app is geared towards more inland and coastal water users such as canoes, small day boays, leisure boat users, who may not have a vhf on board or higher, so the coverage may not be an issue and having used it you pre program your course and your due arrival time and if you go over the allotted time then the main system alerts a number you give to raise the alarm, they then ring the coast guard and with a little help from some tracking the coast guard would have a fair idea where you might be….anything which can help narrow a search area can cut down a response time….it’s a handy free app for those who want a bit of safety but can’t afford, in these times we live in to have a full marine communications centre on their boat
I agree it’s a handy aid but this sort of promotion is not relaying any of the dangers related with its use to inexperienced mariners. It would be more prudent to encourage people to carry a relatively cheap handheld VHF. There are always issues when it comes to the use of mobiles for such things. Batteries don’t last long on smartphones, contact numbers input don’t receive the text for whatever reason etc. No coverage, coverage but no Internet. At least with the use of VHF the mayday is immediate and all vessels in the area can respond immediately. Mobile phone usage is NOT encourage within the maritime community.
All I’m saying is yes it’s a useful aid but much more reliable resources should be focused on, and the dangers of mobile phone usage really need to be highlighted. I just feel it could actually increase the response time to an emergency.
Michelle – you Dad in his posts misses the point that the phone doesnt send the sms messages – its the server. So you could even leave you phone on the quay side and the texts would still be sent out at the right time to the right people and all you trip data incl whos onboard, where going, lifejackets carried, etc etc will be available to the rescue services including all your historic voyage patterns. Indeed this app will work best when combined with an EPIRB or PLB. Gary should have accepted an invite to attend the public briefing I would have thought?
Chris, firstly these are my own opinions. I’m not sure if you are aware, but I am a seafarer, qualified to chief mate with a BSc(hons) in Nautical Science, so when it comes to safety of life at sea I’m more than qualified to form my own opinions on such matters. You seem to be missing my point also, I am saying its a useful aid, but the approved and tested means are what the coastguard should be promoting for water related activities. You will find that most maritime organisations will not promote the use of mobile phones in maritime safety.
Agreed. But thats not what it does. look at what it does – dont assume its a comms device. its not
have your say