Labour and Greens meet to discuss potentional alliance

Labour leader Brendan Howlin and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan have met to discuss forging a new local level alliance following last weekend's elections.

It is understood that the two met at 10am on Thursday morning to discuss alliances at local level on councils around the country.

Mr Howlin said the meeting “went well” and said the two party leaders “agreed to seek to develop a common approach to local Government issues like climate change.”

He said they also agreed to explore “how we can develop co-operative arrangements where both parties are represented nd to stay in touch as matters progress at a local level”.

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Mr Ryan previously indicated that he is open to a broader arrangement involving other parties, including Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil if possible. "We shouldn't exclude any party," he said.

The Green Party returned 49 councillors in the local elections, up 37 from the 2014 result.

Mr Ryan said the meeting on Thursday was “very useful” and formed part of a number of discussions he was having with various parties.

“I have been talking to people from a whole variety of different parties and it was part of that. You have to very quickly start work on coalitions on councils.

“I would expect that early next week on a number of councils there will be a clear idea of what sort of coalitions there will be, and what sort of aims they have. What I am saying to councilors is to be as ambitious as possible.”