Michael Harty says Independents taking risk by negotiating with FG and FF

Independent TD for Clare Dr Michael Harty has acknowledged the 17 Independents negotiating with the two big parties about forming a government are taking a big risk by being involved in the process.

"There has been a vacuum. We need to be talking about forming a Government" he said ahead of talks on Tuesday between independent TDs and Fine Gael.

"We have a responsibility to take part in discussions, but the options are limited," he said on RTÉ Radio One's Morning Ireland programme.

Dr Harty said the structure of initial talks with Fine Gael last week had not been satisfactory – after eight hours, only one issue had been discussed. “It wasn’t the type of discussion we had envisaged. We can’t continue the process in that format, it would go on until the summer. Today the format will be different. A policy paper will be presented today. The next topic is jobs and rural development.”

He added the options for forming a Government were limited given so many groups had ruled themselves out. “Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have categorically said they will not go into coalition, so the only alternatives are either a Fine Gael led minority government or a Fianna Fáil minority government. We feel we have a responsibility to take part in the discussions.”

Cabinet seats had not been discussed, he said. “We are looking at the numbers first.”

The 17 Independents will meet with Fianna Fáil on Wednesday.

“We know we are taking risks by getting involved in the process. There is a risk of failure, and there is a risk of success.

“There was a phoney war up to now – with St Patrick’s Day and then the Easter Rising events. The real work starts now.”