The Taoiseach has said he does not see why a new government could not be formed by January and that ideally it would be done before Donald Trump is inaugurated as US president.
Taoiseach Simon Harris was speaking as outgoing ministers gathered for the first Cabinet meeting since the general election last month.
He said that the two main partners of the current coalition, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, had begun talks to sketch out a possible programme for government for the next four-and-a-half years.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael said both had a “positive and constructive” initial discussion on Wednesday about a programme for government and that both parties will continue to engage in the coming days.
According to Mr. Harris, the ideas included in the government’s agenda “really matters,” and negotiations must guarantee that any coalition could survive five budgets.
“I don’t see any reason why those things can’t happen by the end of January, ideally before President Trump is inaugurated, but I have to be respectful of the process,” he said, reports Breaking News.
“Any party that goes into government, including my own, would have to consult our own membership and seek a mandate from them, but I’d be very disappointed if we’re not in a position to form a new government in January,” reports Breaking News.
Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin responded, “I would hope so,” when asked if he believed the government would be in place by the time Mr. Trump took office.
“The deputy leaders met last evening, Jack Chambers and Helen McEntee, and had a good, positive engagement, mapping out the structure of the talks, covering each departmental area, each area of policy. I would hope we can get substantive work done before Christmas because I know people are anxious that we would form a government after the general election and that we would be ready then when the Dáil resumes in the new year to seek the approval of the Dáil for the election of a Taoiseach and a government,” he said, reports Breaking News.
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