Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin respond to Greens' 17 questions on coalition

The leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have written to the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, telling him they want a programme for government which reflects the Greens' commitment to radical climate action.

The letter from Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin was sent late last night addressing the 17 points the party had raised about their blueprint for coalition.

The letter says that both larger parties want to see the Green manifesto assertion that "there is just a decade left to make changes necessary to halt the warming of our planet". However, it stops short of committing to a 7% reduction in Ireland's carbon output, saying that this issue would be "teased out" in discussions. It says that both parties would like to know where the Greens see these reductions coming from "given that we will have to significantly reboot and revive our economy".

On the Greens' other questions, Mr Varadkar and Mr Martin say that they:

• Are open to banning oil exploration licensing off the Irish coast
• Do not believe large-scale fossil fuel infrastructure building, such as liquid national gas terminals, makes sense at this time
• Will take more "interventionist" role for the State in housing
• Will implement an urban renewal programme which would prioritise the protection and renewal of town centres
• Will create a deep retrofit programme
• Are open to creating a new "social contract"
• Are committed to ending Direct Provision - but say this will take time
• Will discuss a Universal Basic Income
• Will discuss altering the National Development Plan
• Will commit to a review of the State's Covid-19 pandemic response

In terms of how their programme for government would be funded, the parties say that would borrow at affordable rates and run a deficit first, then close this deficit "when the economy returns to growth" and then eliminate borrowing for current spending and return to a balanced budget.

The letter will be discussed by the Greens parliamentary party today and could see a meeting between all three leaders scheduled for next week.

However, it is understood that talks to form a programme for government would take some time, with some sources saying it could be June or July before a deal is finalised.

Speaking this morning, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that he hoped the Green Party would give due consideration to the letter.

"I hope the Green Party give it close consideration, we'd be very keen to talk and enter formal talks on entering government.

"The 7% is an ambitious target but we accept we need to be ambitious when it comes to climate, emissions may fall to 8% this year, for all the wrong reasons and will probably rise again when the economy restarts, but we'd be interested to talk to them how we might achieve a 7% target.

We want to understand how achieving that would affect poverty, employment and the rural economy, but we're definitely up for greater ambition on climate action.

Mr Varadkar added that it was unlikely that there would be any deadlines set for any party to enter government, saying he was against the idea of dissolving the Dáil and forcing another general election during the pandemic.

"In terms of setting a deadline on government formation, we could, but who would enforce a deadline? The only person who could dissolve the Dáil is me, as Taoiseach, and I don't think anyone would see any sense in seeking dissolution of the Dáil in a pandemic.

"I don't know how we would hold an election. We could set a deadline but it wouldn't mean anything for those reasons.

We're ready and willing to enter government if we can find sufficient partners to allow us to form a government.