LAST UPDATE | 6 Dec 2024
THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS has rejected Labour’s proposal to jointly enter government formation negotiations on a common, centre-left platform, while a newly formed group of independent TDs say they are “willing to engage” in talks if they are guaranteed a place in the new government.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik told reporters that the Social Democrats informed her party that it intends to continue “to engage on a stand-alone basis with all parties” after a meeting at Leinster House in Dublin this morning.
Deputy Social Democrats leader Cian O’Callaghan, in a written statement after the meeting, said that his party has “always been clear that we want to go into government”.
He did not detail that they informed Labour that they intend to continue as a single party but said the Social Democrats will continue to negotiate with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil next week to discuss their red-line issues.
Both leaders said it was a largely positive meeting.
Bacik said she would continue to advocate for a common platform between both parties, but that Labour will now need to convene internally to discuss the group’s next move. She added that there “will be opportunities for collaboration” with the Social Democrats.
A group of eight independent TDs have said they are open to engaging with parties in government formation talks “on the basis that [they] would be part of Government”.
The newly formed ‘Regional Group’ was created earlier this week and includes a couple of TDs who previously were in government in the 2016-2020 term.
The members of the Regional Group are Sean Canney, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, Noel Grealish, Michael Lowry, Kevin (‘Boxer’) Moran, Verona Murphy and Gillian Toole.
In a statement this afternoon, the TDs said: “The Regional Group is willing to engage if and when we get an invitation. In the event of an invitation the group will meet to discuss strategy and appoint our negotiators. We would enter talks on the basis that we would be part of Government.”
The group said that it would be “desirable that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael first have agreement on the rotating Taoiseach”.
“Policy and the Programme for Government would have to reflect our concerns and initiatives,” they said.
Galway East TD Sean Canney and Longford–Westmeath TD Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, two of the members of the Regional Group, were previously part of the 2016 Fine Gael-led government as part of a group of six independents known as the Alliance group.
Asked recently about his priorities if he was involved in government formation talks, Canney said there are regional infrastructure issues that need to be tackled, such as railway lines in the west of the country and traffic congestion in Galway, but also insisted independents don’t just focus on “parish pump politics” and that his “biggest issue” would be about accelerating housing construction.
Labour’s proposal, outlined by Bacik on the very first day of the election campaign, was to unite the Social Democrats and the Green Party after all the ballots had been counted in order to enter formation discussion unitarily.
Roderic O’Gorman, the only TD to be re-elected from the Green Party, today announced that it is “very unlikely” that he would be re-entering government - but urged Labour and the Social Democrats to engage “seriously”.
Labour’s proposal, as of today, has not been accepted.
Asked if Labour are wasting time it could spend on engaging with the larger parties, Bacik said she made a “very clear commitment” to her voters to engage with the Social Democrats and believes it was the right thing to do.
“Our ambition in the Labour party is to grow the centre left to a point where we can deliver the change the communities need,” she said, adding that anyone who is “serious about delivering change must, at least, consider the concept of a common platform”.
Sinn Féin on Wednesday seemingly accepted that it will be in opposition for another five year term.
Leader Mary Lou McDonald called on Labour and the Social Democrats to, instead, join her to form a “cohesive” opposition in the Dáil.
Both parties have said that they are seeking to enter government, though some Labour TDs have made clear that they would not want to join a coalition by themselves.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael – the likely major partners in the next government – have made clear that independent TDs are in the frame to form a coalition.
O’Gorman and Bacik today said that they believe climate policies would be significantly rowed back with independent TDs in government.
Leaders Micheál Martin and Simon Harris are pausing their government formation talks today as they both have official duties in Edinburgh.
Taoiseach Harris and Tánaiste Martin are in Scotland to meet with the British-Irish Council.
Both leaders have said some short, informal discussions will likely take place – but admitted that both of them will be short for time.
“It’s a very busy night, tonight and tomorrow, so opportunities will be limited enough, obviously there are informal opportunities for us to touch base,” Martin said last night.
Harris told reporters last night that Fine Gael have “sounded out” a number of independent TDs over this week and will meet with political party leaders next week to discuss further.
“I take nothing for granted, and until agreements have been reached and completed, nobody can take anything for granted,” he said.
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