Green Party hopeful that plan for Government can be in place by end of May

The negotiating team from Eamon Ryan's party met with the Government officials to discuss the current state of Ireland's environmental performance and possible steps that could be taken to cut emissions

There was a renewed sense of optimism within the Green Party negotiating team after briefings with officials from the Department of Environment and Climate Action on Monday.

Sources said that despite the day beginning "under a cloud", negotiations were positive and left some TDs more convinced than not that a deal will be done.

A source close to the talks said that a productive meeting between the party leaders, as well as detailed briefings on the environment, had renewed belief that a programme for government could be put together by the end of May.

One party TD said that the argument over the weekend between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael was "akin to two cows with no horns running into each other — it makes a lot of noise, but no damage is done".

The negotiating team from Eamon Ryan's party met with the Government officials to discuss the current state of Ireland's environmental performance and possible steps that could be taken to cut emissions and meet targets the state is currently on track to miss.

It's understood the Green TDs felt that the briefing further bolstered their position and substantiated their concerns about Ireland's climate performance, and that they feel Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7% is strong.

It's also understood the talks included broad discussions on possible environmental options such as a expansion of the household retrofitting programme and a scheme in which homeowners are given incentives to create solar or wind energy.

Monday —100 days since the February election and the second week of formal government negotiations — kicked off with a discussion on housing which was also discussed at length last week, before the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael teams received discussion papers on justice issues, Brexit and the future relationship with Northern Ireland.

It's understood that the talks will now intensify after a large amount of work on draft texts was completed over the weekend.

However, Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív has reiterated this opposition to any coalition with Fine Gael.

Mr Ó Cuív told The Irish Examiner that without a significant change in Fine Gael's approach, he will vote against a deal: "It depends whether Fine Gael see Damascus. There's a small chink of light, but it's unlikely.

"I don't think it's a policy issue, either. Their whole approach is suspicious of ordinary people and it doesn't make the kind Ireland I want to live in."