Michael McDowell: Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil afraid to form govt because of Sinn Féin

Former Tánaiste Michael McDowell has accused the country's two biggest parties of allowing their fear of Sinn Féin to stop them from forming a new Government.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have yet to sit down for coalition talks together, but both have spent weeks trying to secure the backing of Independents before Wednesday's vote for Taoiseach.