Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil meet to avoid ‘cliff edge of uncertainty’

Amid warnings of the need to avoid a “cliff edge scenario of uncertainty” if negotiations collapse between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, talks to extend the Government support pact zoned in on health yesterday.

Both negotiating teams resumed discussions behind closed doors, exchanging more documents and looking ahead on how to improve services.

The talks are to examine if the confidence and supply agreement, the pact where Fianna Fáil supports Fine Gael in Government, can be renewed or extended for at least another year.

A statement said both sides met for over five hours to discuss the confidence and supply arrangement, with a particular emphasis on the health sector. The discussions in the afternoon included a presentation from the secretary general of the Department of Health, it was added.

While both teams have reviewed the three-year original deal and gaps, including on housing and health, there is disagreement on how long a new deal could last and even if it can be agreed.

Fianna Fáil is focusing its efforts on highlighting remaining difficulties in services, including the lack of rural broadband. However, Fine Gael wants a fresh deal on taxation and education as well as specific guarantees about keeping the Government in power for two years.

This was a timeframe flagged previously by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and is believed to be a red line in the talks.

It is expected that any progress on a Brexit deal, if it occurs in the coming weeks, could also influence a new deal or even result in talks being fast-tracked.

Nonetheless, ministers are still insisting that the talks wrap up quickly and that Fianna Fáil needs to commit to supporting Fine Gael for a defined period if the Opposition party wants policies implemented and progress in areas such as housing and health.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy yesterday told Virgin Media News: “What we are trying to avoid on the Government side is a cliff edge of uncertainty, where we don’t know if there is going to be a Government next week or the week after.

“There is no need to drag this out.”

Mr Murphy said Fine Gael had done an extensive review of the confidence and supply deal over the summer and this had been communicated with Fianna Fáil.

“They know on their side what’s being done or what needs to be done, and we both have an idea of what we need to do over the coming year or two years. There is no need for this to go on for too long a period.”

Talks between the teams will resume next week.