Government formation talks to continue despite Covid-19

Government formation talks between the major parties will continue despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The talks, which had been broad up until last month, are under added pressure as it is generally accepted that the State will need a stable government in order to pass emergency legislation relating to the virus outbreak, and possibly an emergency budget.

Within the last two weeks efforts have been ramped up by Fine Gael, which has appointed a negotiating team of four in Paschal Donohoe, Simon Coveney, Heather Humphreys, and Hildegarde Naughton, and a larger reference group, chaired by Richard Bruton.

Within the party, the preference is now for a combination with Fianna Fáil, the Greens, and Labour, who many believe may consider going back into government after Brendan Howlin steps down as leader.

“We need a majority government, not one hanging by a thread on individual TDs,” a Fine Gael source said.

We’re there ready to keep negotiating; we are acutely aware that the country needs a mandated government, so we’ll keep talking to parties.

“Likewise, Sinn Féin needs to keep looking for opportunities on the left and say if it has failed at that.”

However, the “elephant in the room” continues to be the “dithering” Green Party, which sources in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael say has been sending out mixed messages on whether it wants to be in government at all, with party leader Eamon Ryan floating the idea of an all-party “national government”.

“That strikes me as the Greens trying to be everyone’s friend,” said a Fine Gael source.

It’s not a credible position, and the bigger challenge for the Greens is, only Eamon Ryan has sat in Cabinet before, and I don’t know if the rest of them have the stomach for it.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has not ruled out a national government but told Today FM: “I still think a better option would be a government for change that reflects the outcome of the last election, but I don’t hold all of the cards in this and my concern and our concern at this time is to do the right thing for people and certainly that unity government option needs to be looked at.”