Micheál Martin's chances of being elected Taoiseach increase after 'intensive' talks

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael worked across the weekend and conducted two sessions of talks with Regional Independents in a bid to put a policy programme in place within the next two days

Fianna Fáil leader and Tánaiste Micheál Martin at the BT Young Scientist Competition at the RDS on Thursday. Picture: Cillian Sherlock/PA

The prospect of Micheál Martin being elected Taoiseach for a second time has increased following an "intensive" weekend of talks on forming a government.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael negotiating teams worked across the weekend on a number of issues, as well as conducting two sessions of talks with Regional Independents in a bid to have the policy aspects of a programme for government settled within the next two days. 

That would allow the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party to approve the document at a Wednesday meeting before a special ard fheis next Sunday.

Fine Gael plans to hold four regional meetings which it is hoped will be completed before the Dáil sits again on January 22.

Sources said that they were "increasingly hopeful" that the bulk of a programme for government would be agreed by the middle of the week and that the election of a Taoiseach could take place the following week and would see Mr Martin take over from Simon Harris. 

It is understood that the two party leaders have agreed how the rotation of the taoiseach's office will work, but that the "horse-trading" on government departments will be decided after the policy is nailed down.

However, sources have said that a reallocation of departments is "nailed-on", suggesting that the health and justice portfolios, currently held by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, respectively, would be a "straight swap". 

Fianna Fáil has made no secret of its desire to take over the department during the election campaign. However, the finer details of how the party's proposed Home Affairs department, which would be housed under the Department of Justice, would work remain to be seen. 

Sources have suggested that the two parties swapping the Education and Further Education briefs and Agriculture with Social Protection and Rural Development could happen.

However, questions remain around the briefs currently filled by the outgoing Green Party ministers. Eamon Ryan's energy brief is likely to be put into Enterprise, which will be "beefed up" as the government deals with economic challenges, and the area of immigration is likely to return to Justice. 

It is believed that Fianna Fáil will retain the housing portfolio.

One source said that they expected discussions on departments would "be smooth enough".

Talks continue with both the Regional Independents and the Healy Rae brothers, with Michael Healy Rae confirming that discussions would continue this week but declining to say whether or not he has asked for or been offered a ministerial position in exchange for his support. 

It is understood that the Kerry independents could be given a junior ministry, but the preference for a super-junior position, which would attend cabinet, is for the regional group and would likely be in area of disability.

Outgoing Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman said that he was concerned that the talks would lead to a "patchwork of deals rather than a programme for government that tackles the big issues".

He told RTÉ's This Week programme that "a programme for government has to be for the whole country, it can't just be for one county".

The talks come as the first opinion poll following November's election shows a sharp decline in support for independents. The Ireland Thinks/Sunday Independent poll showed that 8.8% of people would vote for an independent, down 6.7%. Fianna Fáil leads the poll with 23.8% (+1.9), followed closely by Fine Gael on 22.3% (+1.5) and Sinn Féin on 19.3% (+0.3).