Labour leader Brendan Howlin open to coalition with Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin

Labour leader Brendan Howlin has put rival parties on future coalition alert, saying he will speak to “everybody” after the next election — including Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin.

Mr Howlin made the comment as he outright rejected suggestions his party should stay out of power to continue rebuilding, and confirmed Labour will run two people in key constituencies to try and sweep up extra votes for the main candidate.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner before his party’s annual conference in Wexford this weekend, he said that while he will not lead Labour “gushingly to anybody who rings my door”, he will “discuss [a potential coalition] with everybody”.