Talks ‘will collapse’ unless Fine Gael agree to minority government
Fine Gael has refused to confirm whether they will support a Fianna Fáil minority government despite Micheál Martin’s party agreeing to facilitate Mr Kenny if he receives enough support from Independents.
A number of senior Fianna Fáil sources have said they would be unable to continue with discussions if Fine Gael refuse to agree to facilitate them in a minority government.
“Fine Gael will have to agree to support minority government if we are to reciprocate, that has to be clarified. It would be extremely difficult to continue otherwise.”
With a number of Independents appearing to be now veering towards favouring Fianna Fáil, Mr Kenny is under pressure to agree to support that possible outcome.
Cork South West Independent Michael Collins said: “The two parties must go forward with a joint agreement on minority government, not on the basis of one party thinking that they are going to get the support ahead of the other.”
But Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe, who last week ruled outright the notion of supporting a Fianna Fáil minority government, yesterday said his views “still stand”.
“I do not believe it is feasible. We do not believe a Fianna Fáil-led minority government is capable. I do not believe it has the stability that is needed,” he told RTÉ’s This Week programme.
However, there was a slight softening by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, who said she is not in favour of any preconditions.
“We are going in to have a conversation about what a minority government would look like, and what are the key elements that would enable a minority government to continue,” she told RTá’s The Week in Politics.
But Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen said: “We have been saying consistently that we will accept the will of the Dáil, we just want Fine Gael to do likewise.
“They have to accept that in order for us to sit down for viable discussions,” he said on Newstalk radio.
