FIANNA FÁIL AND Fine Gael are set to resume government formation talks on Monday ahead of the Dáil returning later this month.

Talks were paused before Christmas, with both parties saying “progress” had been made up to that point.

Members of Fine Gael’s negotiating team resumed work on their desired programme for government yesterday.

Updates on the progress of talks are being kept under wraps by the negotiating teams of each party, with Helen McEntee leading the Fine Gael team and Jack Chambers leading the Fianna Fáil one. 

The Social Democrats and the Regional Independents technical group both remain at the negotiating table, after the Labour Party walked away just before the Christmas holidays citing policy differences.

It is understood the negotiating teams of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will meet again over the course of next week, with meetings also planned individually with some members of the Regional Independents. 

The Regional Indendents technical group is understood to be headed up by Tipperary TD Michael Lowry, although other TDs in the group have stressed that the collection of TDs are not aligned on policies and will be considering the merits of government on an individual basis. 

The Social Democrats will have a meeting of their parliamentary party first before any further meetings are lined up.

Although the Social Democrats remain in negotiations, it appears as though the most likely outcome will be that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will go back into Government together with the support of the Regional Independents after both parties backed Independent TD Verona Murphy as their pick for Ceann Comhairle.

The Regional Independent group is made up of nine TDs: Sean Canney; Marian Harkin; Barry Heneghan; Noel Grealish; Michael Lowry; Kevin (Boxer) Moran; Verona Murphy; Gillian Toole; and Carol Nolan.

It is understood that apart from the more local asks on their wish lists, housing is one of the group’s priorities. 

It is further understood the group is seeking one ministry position and a couple of junior minister roles. 

Speaking earlier in December, outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris said the new government should ideally be up and running by the time Donald Trump is inaugerated as President in the US on 20 January.

“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,” he said. 

With just two weeks to go, it is unclear if enough progress has been made to make this timeframe still workable. According to a senior government source however, this remains the aim.