Sir, – While quite a number of people have commented publicly that there is no formal deadline for the formation of a new government, there is a practical deadline inherent in the timing of the current Seanad election.
The Taoiseach has a constitutional requirement to nominate 11 members once the Seanad election process for the vocational and university panels has completed and before the 25th Seanad is scheduled to first meet. Once those 11 seats have been filled, it is not possible for An Taoiseach to replace unilaterally those nominated.
If no new government has been agreed by April 26th, it is beyond political realism that 11 new senators who are not either Fine Gael members or agreeable to Fine Gael would be appointed. Once that has happened, then agreement on a new government with other parties who might have expected to have some of their members or associates form part of the Taoiseach’s Seanad 11 will be impossible. – Yours, etc,
DANIEL SULLIVAN,
Marino,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – Am I wrong in my assessment that both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael would prefer to go into opposition, for the present? This, in the hope of a landslide victory at the next election, after the inevitable failure of any minority government that could be formed now. – Yours, etc,
PARAIC GREENAN,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.