Agreeing new government by January 22 'tight', admits Harris
Taoiseach Simon Harris said it is his belief that a government will be formed by the end of the month. Picture: Niall Carson/PA
Government formation negotiations are "in the landing zone" to conclude in January, the Taoiseach has said.
However, Simon Harris accepted that having a new government by the time the Dáil sits on January 22 would be "tight".
Talks between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on the issues of health and enterprise continued on Tuesday, with sources on both sides saying they are "progressing well". Mr Harris said it is his belief that a government will be formed by the end of the month.
Asked in Kildare on Tuesday when he expected the government formation talks to conclude, Mr Harris said that the next Dáil sitting was his aim.
“I hope and expect on the 22nd of January, that’s what everybody is working in good faith towards,” Mr Harris said, though he accepted this was "a little bit tight" because both parties must put any deal to its members.
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However, the new government looks set to not include the Social Democrats as the party effectively ended its participation in talks on Tuesday afternoon. Social Democrats deputy party leader Cian O’Callaghan said there are “significant policy gaps” between those parties and his.
Talks between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and regional Independents are due to begin this week, with the aim of a programme for government being substantially agreed by next week.
Meanwhile, Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae is expecting to hear from Micheál Martin, but no meeting has been scheduled as yet.
The Kerry TD said he and his brother, Danny, are "ready for business", but must wait for Mr Martin and Mr Harris to reach out and move talks along from where they left off before Christmas.
Michael Healy-Rae said they have finalised their document outlining the issues the two Kerry TDs want to see addressed in the county as part of any deal.
He said that everyone should be striving to get a government up and running, as it is over a month since people went to the polls.
Also waiting to hear from either Mr Martin or Mr Harris is Independent Ireland, which has yet to receive a response.
Party leader Michael Collins said that despite the Fianna Fáil leader indicating a desire to sit down with the party last month, there has been no contact to set up a meeting.
Mr Collins said if the interest to hold a discussion was genuine, Mr Martin would have done so before the election of Verona Murphy as ceann comhairle.
Ms Murphy's role sent "a clear message", and it appears the two main parties have made up their mind, said Mr Collins.
The introduction of a new Department of Infrastructure is seen as increasingly unlikely, with Fianna Fáil instead to press for reforms to the Department of Public Expenditure to make it easier for major projects to progress.
A Fianna Fáil source said that one option could be a new government agency responsible for delivering key infrastructure projects, rather than a specific department.
They said there is no talk of dramatic changes to existing government departments, but Fianna Fáil is keen to introduce a new Department of Home Affairs — which would be responsible for migration and national security.
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