Martin and Varadkar to meet on Tuesday for government formation talks

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin are expected to meet again today as a coalition between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Green Party and some Independents continues to be seen as the likeliest shape of a new government.

The leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil met on Monday night and released a joint statement afterwards, which said they discussed a “variety of policy issues and agreed to meet again in the morning”.

Mr Martin yesterday said: "The magnitude of decisions that [are] required to be taken demand the formation of a government with a solid majority that will be able to take strong actions and intervene forcefully on this issue and also to allocate additional resources as necessary.

“That is something that is required and the tempo around those talks will simply have to increase given the crisis that Covid-19 represents.”

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Mr Varadkar has said in the past that he would only enter coalition with Fianna Fáil as a “last resort” and again yesterday insisted that the Opposition should be given the chance to form a government.

However, he said he would be able to address in the coming days whether this “last resort” threshold had been met. Mr Varadkar needs the formal assent of his parliamentary party to begin official negotiations to form a government.