Enda Kenny urges Fianna Fáil to back minority option

Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny has repeated his call for a partnership government while leaving open the possibility of a Fine Gael-led minority government supported by Fianna Fáil from the opposition benches.

Mr Kenny last night sought to increase the pressure on Fianna Fáil and Independent TDs by inviting them to talks next week.

Fine Gael believes Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin was too quick to dismiss the initial offer of a partnership government and wants it considered again.

Fianna Fáil sources repeated their opposition to such an arrangement and said Mr Martin’s preferred option is a minority government.

Mr Kenny’s statement said the new political reality following the election was difficult for all parties, including Fine Gael, but ending Civil War politics was now clearly the best thing for the country.

Fine Gael sources, however, highlighted a line in the statement which kept alive the option of a minority government supported from opposition by Fianna Fáil.

“It is my hope that those willing to participate in or support a partnership government can come together to discuss and agree how such a government will work,” it said.

Rejection

His statement followed a meeting of Fine Gael Ministers to consider their strategy following the rejection of the initial offer by Fianna Fáil and the attempt by the Independent Alliance to convene a meeting today to explore the conditions under which both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would support a minority government led by the other.

Senior Fianna Fáil sources said they were “realists” and would support a Fine Gael-led minority government if Mr Kenny secured the support of Independent TDs.

Fianna Fáil has called on Mr Kenny to say he would also support a Fianna Fáil-led minority government, which the acting Taoiseach has ruled out.

Fine Gael wants Fianna Fáil to outline on what conditions it would support a Fine Gael-led minority government, such as committing to supporting budgets and confidence votes.

A Fianna Fáil source last night said: “If there was real partnership both parties should be able to talk about conditional support. And if there was real reform, the same.”

The source said negotiations must not be carried out through “five-minute media hits . . . We are prepared to meet with Fine Gael and Independents to discuss a minority government”.

Renewed consideration

Fine Gael sources said Mr Kenny’s statement was designed to firstly persuade Fianna Fáil to give the partnership offer renewed consideration.

Fine Gael believes another Fianna Fáil rejection will then convince undecided Independent TDs that a Fine Gael-led minority government is the only viable option and will push them to declare for Mr Kenny.

There is also a belief that if Fianna Fáil is not prepared to enter a partnership arrangement, it must outline on what basis it will support a Fine Gael-led minority government.

Fine Gael figures also said statements yesterday from Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath, in which Mr McGrath called for renewed talks, showed some in Mr Martin’s party were open to co-operating with Fine Gael.