Government formation: Formal coalition negotiations to commence later this week

The leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party have concluded an opening meeting over government formation talks and agreed all sides will formally start negotiations on Thursday.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told the Irish Examiner that negotiations were expected now to take a number of weeks but that there had been a good beginning to the process.

The three leaders assessed the original framework document put forward by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over a possible coalition, including issues such as housing, health and the response to Covid-19.

They also discussed the responses by the two bigger parties to the Green's 17 concerns, top of which centres on a demand to curb greenhouse gases by 7% annually.

However, it is understood that the core element of the leaders meeting was about setting out an itinerary for the negotiations ahead.

The Green Party have yet to appoint a negotiating team for the coalition formation talks.

A major stumbling block for them, and for Fianna Fáil, will be placating concerns and opposition to deals from grassroots and ordinary members, with both parties likely to have to hold conferences in order for any final government agreement to be approved.

There is also the added pressure of the need for the Houses of the Oireachtas to formally approve legislation to give effect to some €4bn in supports and loans for small businesses and firms hit by the virus.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed at the weekend that a new government would need to be formed so the Seanad and parliamentary approval could be given to those new laws.

That urgency will add pressure on the leaders, particularly the Greens who are adamant that any deal that fails to properly address climate change concerns will be rejected by ordinary members.

Fine Gael are set to discuss government formation talks this evening in a teleconference, where Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will update TDs, senators and MEPs about the coalition talks as well as the latest responses to Covid-19.