A parliamentary alliance involving the Green Party, Sinn Féin and some of the Independents was being mooted in Leinster House last night after a meeting of party whips.
The meeting between the Opposition whips and outgoing Government Chief Whip Mr Seamus Brennan failed to yield the full Opposition party status sought by the Green Party and Sinn Féin. This would have allowed a change in standing orders to provide both parties with full access to Private members' Time, priority questions, the Order of Business, and other parliamentary procedures automatically given to parties with seven or more deputies. The Green Party has six deputies. Sinn Féin has five.
The Green Party's chief whip, Mr John Gormley TD, said the meeting with Mr Brennan had been very unsatisfactory. "We are bitterly disappointed that he has not conceded the required change to allow us to fully participate in the democratic process. As far as we are concerned, the meeting was nothing more than a stalling exercise."
The newly-elected Independent TD for Donegal North-East, Mr Neil Blaney, said he would meet his fellow Independents today to discuss the possible formation of a technical group which would provide them with greater access to parliamentary procedures.
Under the Dail's standing orders 13 of the 25 Independent, Green and Sinn Féin TDs must come together before they will be recognised as a technical group. The Independent TD for Dublin Central, Mr Tony Gregory, has brought 12 of the necessary 13 Independents together, including the Wicklow TD, Ms Mildred Fox, who supported the outgoing Government for five years.
Following yesterday's inconclusive meeting with Mr Brennan, the Green Party and Sinn Féin were clearly interested in being part of that group. However, the bigger the group the less parliamentary time to share out.