Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael negotiators on forming a new government are making steady progress on a range of issues, according to sources involved in the process, but have yet to discuss areas of division between the two parties.
Negotiators from the two parties met on Monday morning for the first session since the Christmas break, and were briefed by senior officials on climate policy options. Climate action is expected to be a troublesome area for the next government as without an intensification of efforts to cut emissions Ireland will miss 2030 targets and incur large fines. But as the Greens’ dismal general election demonstrated, there is little public or political appetite for many of the options that would achieve emissions cuts.
Later the two teams discussed transport policy, with both sides intent on accelerating progress on a series of road projects which both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers in the last Dáil complained were being stalled by outgoing Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.
It was said by sources in both parties to be too early to identify specific projects that would be earmarked for investment.
The teams are expected to move on to health issues on Tuesday when they will be briefed by Department of Health secretary general Robert Watt and Health Service Executive chief Bernard Gloster. Both sides expect the pace of the talks to accelerate this week as they seek to have a draft agreement concluded by early next week in advance of the next meeting of the Dáil the following week on January 22nd.
That date is two days after the inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the United States, an event considered to be a sort of informal deadline for the formation of a new government here. But with both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil having to go through the process of ratifying an agreement through votes of their members, some of those involved believe that deadline is too tight.
Much will depend on not just the pace of progress between the two big parties but on dealmaking with Independent TDs, whose support will be needed to make a Dáil majority. The group of regional Independent TDs convened by Michael Lowry are prepared to support a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil administration and are interested in ministerial jobs as part of any deal, but the two Healy-Rae brothers are also available to support a new government, they say – for a price.
[ New roads investment planned by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil after Green exitOpens in new window ]
The regional group said on Monday night they anticipated a return to negotiations this week, and have signalled to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that they will negotiate as a bloc, and not individually.
Independent Ireland – the party formed by independent TDs in the last Dáil and which now has four TDs – has also signalled its desire to join the talks and sources said they would meet Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael this week.
Meanwhile, the Social Democrats’ parliamentary party is to meet on Tuesday when its members will discuss Government formation.
The party met Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael before Christmas and, unlike the Labour Party, it is yet to pull out of talks.
There is however, a view within the Social Democrats that the two larger parties will end up doing a deal with Independents with a source saying this “looks increasingly likely”.
They added there are “significant gaps” between the larger parties and what the Social Democrats want to see the next government do and “we need to assess that in detail”.
There is no expectation in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that the Social Democrats will join serious negotiations on a programme for government.
