FG will have to reach out to FF for stable government - Coveney

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has said Fine Gael will have to reach out to Fianna Fáil to form a stable government.

The Minister said the priority is to speak to the Independents and smaller parties to try gain support for a minority government.

Speaking on his way into a meeting with some of those Independent TDs on Thursday, Mr Coveney said: “Fianna Fáil has made it very clear they do not want to be in coalition Government with Fine Gael and that is their perspective and their business. What we are trying to do today is build an alliance of people and individuals who can work in Government together.

“We will of course have to reach out to parties who do not want to be in government with Fine Gael but may look to support some or all of what we are trying to do in a Programme for Government.”

Mr Coveney said the party would speak to the second largest party in the Dáil to “try and understand their perspective” and what they are willing to do to provide political stability.

Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny held a roundtable discussion on Thursday with 15 Independents and the Green Party. He was expected to present a document outlining eight key policy ideas Fine Gael is eager to implement in government.

Speaking on their way into the meeting, Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae said Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil needed to begin negotiations.

Michael Healy-Rae said it was ridiculous that the two biggest parties have not sat down in a room yet. “Every day they let go by is a day wasted. They should be getting together and talking to each other,” he said.

“For God’s sake grow up, deal with the seats they have and talk to each other.”

Mandate

Independent TD Katherine Zappone said she has spoken to Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin about potential discussions with Fine Gael. Ms Zappone said Mr Martin insisted he did not have the mandate to begin discussions with the biggest party in the Dáil.

“Fianna Fail has to support in some way what is going on either from a perspective minority Government led by Fine Gael,” she said.

Meanwhile, Independent TD Shane Ross said Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil needed to “pick up the phone” and talk to each other as part of discussions on a programme for government.

Mr Ross said he suspected Fianna Fáil had not been invited to meetings between Fine Gael with smaller parties and Independent TDs. “ They should be at these talks. Fianna Fáil is like the ghost at the feast.”

"They need to be there," Mr Ross told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland programme. "It is a big flaw."

Mr Ross said the Independent Alliance was going to talk to all parties “to get them on board” and would then go back to talk to Fianna Fáil.

“We’ve had three meetings with Fianna Fáil and exchanged papers with them. I’m encouraged that both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have been active in the talks. But the whole business of forming a government cannot be concluded without talking to Fianna Fáil.”

Mr Kenny met Noel Grealish, Denis Naughten, Mattie McGrath, Michael Collins and Michael Harty in Government Buildings on Wednesday. He told the group of five Independent rural TDs he wanted a partnership government and the Opposition would be given greater input into policy-making through strengthened committees.

The rural Independent group also met Mr Martin last night.

Mr Martin contacted a number of other non-party TDs on Wednesday, with one claiming the Fianna Fáil leader had been “stung” by suggestions his party was not as serious as Fine Gael about forming a government.