A super-junior ministerial position would have to be on offer for the two Healy-Rae brothers to strike a deal with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to enter a coalition government, sources close to the two Kerry TDs have disclosed.
Michael Healy-Rae and his brother, Danny, have been holding talks with the two bigger parties around government formation which are separate from the negotiations involving the nine-strong group of Regional Independents.
It is understood the brothers are not interested in a confidence-and-supply-type arrangement but would support a coalition deal only on the basis that they too would be part of that government.
“Obviously a constituency deal for Kerry is very very important,” said the source. “But it would have to be married to a situation that if the Healy-Raes are supporting a government for five years, there would have to be more in it than that, in other words, a ministry.”
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Asked if the two TDs would seek a senior or junior position, the source said the very least that they would expect would be a super-junior position.
There were three super-junior positions in the outgoing Coalition, positions that were shared between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens.
While the Healy Raes are not part of the Regional Group, the source said there is a very close working relationship between Michael Healy-Rae and lead negotiator for the Regional Group Michael Lowry.
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It is expected there will be further engagement between the two parties and Independents later this week, with Independent Ireland also signalling their availability for talks. Although it is understood no contact had been made with the party led by Cork South-West’s Michael Collins as of Tuesday afternoon.
It comes as the Social Democrats signalled the party was now highly unlikely to be part of the next government. After a parliamentary party meeting of its TDs on Tuesday, acting leader Cian O’Callaghan said it was not actively pursuing talks with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
The party said that “major policy differences” exist between it and the larger parties after several engagements before the Christmas break. “Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will be tinkering around the edges as opposed to making the big, big changes we need to see,” said a Social Democrats TD.
The party remains open to further negotiations but in effect is now out of the running. “We are leaving the door ajar, but there is no expectation that anyone will come knocking,” said a party source.
Talks between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on Tuesday focused on disabilities, enterprise and justice, both seen as big component parts of the next programme for government. It is understood that the respective party leaders, Micheál Martin and Simon Harris, are now engaged bilaterally on a “daily” basis.
Climate was discussed briefly on Monday and is on the agenda for Wednesday with positions on transport having been agreed earlier this week as well.
While many elements have been substantially agreed upon in other areas, such as social protection, some outstanding questions have not yet been nailed down fully. For example, there is not a final agreement on reforming child benefit, where Fianna Fáil want an increase to the headline rate while Fine Gael want a double payment for all recipients in August every year.
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