Government talks: Labour outlines its wishlist to support a government

Senior Labour figures have laid down a wishlist for the party to support a government, as Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny continues to woo his former coalition partner for support.

Labour leader Joan Burton effectively outlined her party’s price for power during Dáil exchanges yesterday, after another failed vote to elect a taoiseach.

During the day she also held a one-to-one meeting with Mr Kenny, specifically over Fine Gael’s desire to get support for a government.

It is believed that, since Independents yesterday backed out of talks temporarily, Fine Gael is increasing pressure on Labour to join some kind of power-sharing mechanism.

Mr Kenny wants a guarantee of support from the seven Labour TDs to help him get elected as taoiseach and for any future votes in the Dáil.

Enda Kenny

He is also considering forming a coalition, involving Labour which is reluctant to return to government after the disastrous defeat it received in the election.

Ms Burton told the Dáil that the process of forming a government had left people “scratching their heads”. However, she also laid out Labour’s own demands, if support is sought.

A programme for government which Labour could support-would have to include a housing package, a commitment to eradicate child poverty, increases in the minimum wage and support for childcare costs.

The Tánaiste also said that abortion laws would have to be liberalised and tax reforms implemented.

Ms Burton said any failure to address these issues would mean that Labour “would not support” a candidate to be Taoiseach.

Party colleague, acting Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan, echoed the demands. She also said policies on limiting classroom numbers and ending discrimination in schools would be needed for Labour support. The comments came as Labour abstained in yesterday’s vote for Taoiseach, as did the Green Party and the Social Democrats.

Deputy Green leader Catherine Martin said the stance taken by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in talks was “strangling” the Dáil. It seemed “the people had lost” when important issues such as hospital waiting lists, the rental crisis and homelessness could not be debated in the parliament in the absence of a government agreement, added the TD.