It will be “very challenging” to have a new government in place after the next meeting of the Dáil on January 22nd, Fianna Fáil TD James Browne has said.
However, Mr Browne, who is Minister of State at the Department of Justice, said that he expected a programme for government could be agreed by that date.
Speaking on the Anton Savage show on Newstalk on Sunday, he stressed the “sheer volume” of work needed to agree the programme by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, hold negotiations with Independent TDs, and the formal ratification of an agreement by membership of the two larger parties.
His comments suggest a privately held ambition among some senior Government figures to have a new taoiseach elected on January 22nd may fall away.
It’s a national indignity that the new government will rely on Michael Lowry
The last thing our teenage son said was: ‘Why are you all so sad, I’m going to be fine’
Ireland weather: Warnings ‘likely’ to be upgraded while temperatures could fall to -8 degrees
Dublin couple fear their home will fall into Camac river after wall collapses
Mr Browne said “significant progress” had been made in negotiations before Christmas with “close to half” of all areas now agreed on a department-by-department basis. Work continued during the hiatus in formal talks over the festive period to prepare documents and compare manifestos, he said.
The Wexford TD said that his party envisaged a new department of domestic affairs being created, which would operate as a stand-alone department separate to justice but under the same minister – along the lines of the departments of social protection and rural affairs.
The incoming government would need a working majority of between eight and 12 for stability, he said, adding that the opportunities to form a government had been “quite limited” due to the fact that some politicians and parties had “no interest in going into government”.
Speaking to RTÉ's This Week programme on Sunday, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín urged parties to speed up the process of forming the next government.
He said he had been in contact with Minister for Finance Jack Chambers and Sinn Féin members on post-election talks, but not directly to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald. He criticised parties for “wasting time” and said they should “get a bloody move on” with government formation as it was clear what the composition of the next government would be.
Mr Tóibin said his party would work with every party on issues on a case-by-case basis, highlighting the issue of waste and accountability, and said that Aontú would be open to working with Sinn Féin in opposition on these areas.
Asked about pre-election comments in which he described Fianna Fáil as an “empty, hollow husk,” which drew criticism from Micheál Martin and a pledge not to deal with Aontú after the election, he said “It does not make sense for any political leader who says they have the ultimate wellbeing of Irish society” to rule out government with any particular party.
Earlier, on the same programme, Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins said the party could have done better in the general election but put that down to “a few very, very near misses”.
The Cork South West TD said his party had spent a lot of time on policy and had indicated it was willing to enter into discussions on the formation of a new government and had written to Tánaiste Micheál Martin seeking talks, but had received no response as of yet.
He said if Mr Martin or Fine Gael leader Simon Harris were serious about engaging with his party, it would have happened already.
[ What happens now in the negotiations to build the next government?Opens in new window ]
Asked about campaign promises to extend rail services to all counties in Ireland, as well as cutting tax, he denied that the Independent Ireland price for participation in government was too high.
He said including Independent Ireland policies in government would be required for his party to support any coalition, but at this point in time there appeared to be a preference to draw from independent TDs for the next government, which he decried as “parish pump politics”.
Inside Politics live with Ken Early of Second Captains
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
