Kenny to lead talks to form minority government

Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny will today lead a brainstorming session with senior Fine Gael figures and 17 TDs from Independent and smaller political groups in the first multilateral talks to form a government.

Having taken the lead within the past week in government formation talks, Fine Gael will host the negotiations as it strives to find common ground for a minority rainbow government.

If today’s discussions with various TDs and groups show signs of progress, talks could run into tomorrow as well as next week.

So how far has Fine Gael come in forming a government that could last?

Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin took the early initiative in the post-election period by calling for Dáil reform, but his hopes of a minority government now seem dead in the water.

Instead, his party has been out-manoeuvred with senior figures now accepting a further spell in opposition is on the cards.

Following a decision this week by five rural TDs to support Fine Gael’s efforts to form a government, the momentum is very much with Mr Kenny’s party.

Senior figures say the 67 TDs who will be represented at today’s talks — including 50 from Fine Gael — could be added to when a fresh vote for Taoiseach is held on Wednesday week.

The talks include six Independent Alliance TDs, five non-aligned rural TDs, Independents Maureen O’Sullivan and Katherine Zappone, two Green TDs and the Healy-Rae brothers.

Coupled with Independent Michael Lowry, who says he would vote for Mr Kenny, it would give Fine Gael 68 votes, well shy of a majority needed in the new 158-seat Dáil.

However, none of the aforementioned TDs have said yet they will vote for Mr Kenny, except Mr Lowry, who will not be at the meeting. Nonetheless, Fine Gael suggests other votes could be won over, including from Labour, the Social Democrats and other Independents including Thomas Pringle and Catherine Connolly. The reality of getting these remains in doubt.

Instead, a framework would likely be agreed with Fianna Fáil for Dáil support for issues on a cases-by-case basis. This ‘memorandum of understanding’, as once source called it, is only likely to be discussed after the April 6 vote.

Today’s talks are about finding ‘common ground’ on priorities, such as housing, health and rural affairs.

“They [the other TDs] could have done the business with Fianna Fáil. But they’ve calculated we’re more serious and the numbers favour us,” said a source.

The first priority, say those involved in negotiations, is talking to those who want to be in government.

The second, sources concede, will be talking to those who want to remain in opposition, which would include Fianna Fáil.

Fine Gael are next likely to put pressure on the Social Democrats, Labour and other Independents.

Labour’s statement this week — that it could in fact abstain, support or oppose the next vote for Taoiseach — is viewed as significant by Fine Gael and a sign its support could be won.

However, a senior Labour source said its TDS would not support either FG or FF.