Micheál Martin opens the door to full coalition with Fine Gael

The Fianna Fáil leader said he is also open to the idea of a rotating Taoiseach position

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has opened the door to a full coalition with Fine Gael, saying he is also open to the idea of rotating the position of Taoiseach.

Having previously ruled out such an arrangement both in 2016 and initially after this election, Mr Martin’s shift in position is seen as significant in the process of forming a Government.

Almost a month on since polling day, progress on forming a government has been slow and Mr Martin’s party held a day of talks with Fine Gael yesterday and has said the time has come to escalate those talks.

Speaking on RTE Radio to broadcaster Sean O’Rourke, Mr Martin said the time has come to look past a repeat of the Confidence and Supply arrangement, which saw his party facilitate a Fine Gael-led governmentfrom the opposition benches.

He accepted when it was put to him that the only viable option is a full coalition and said he was open to considering a deal with Fine Gael.

"Yes...depending on a programme of government that works and represents a new direction in terms of housing health and climate change,” he said.

Asked about the idea of rotating the position of Taoiseach with Leo Varadkar, he said: “I am not ruling anything in or out.”

Mr Martin said the process of forming a government need not to take the same length of time as it did in 2016, when it took 74 days.

He again ruled out working with Sinn Féin, citing an Irish Times media report which a party figure admitted they do not want elected members running the party. He said such a position is incompatible with a democratic party.