Rotating-taoiseach plan key to any FF-FG alliance - party sources

An arrangement for a rotating taoiseach would have to be on the agenda for any talks about a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil alliance to avoid another general election before it is necessary, sources on both sides have agreed.

Some Fianna Fáil TDs continue to firmly rule out an alliance with Fine Gael, while others are privately conceding it could come to that if the alternative is a general election.

They believe supporting a minority Fine Gael government would be unworkable, given the major decisions that have to be taken in dealing with the crisis in health and housing and in coping with a possible economic downturn.

There is a consensus among both parties that matters will come to a head after Easter if no government has been formed.

“It may come to a FG-FF alliance, not an old-fashioned coalition, to avoid an election,’’ said a FF source.

“But an equal share of ministries and a period in the taoiseach’s office for [Fianna Fáil leader] Micheál Martin would be necessary to persuade a delegate conference to give the go-ahead to joining Fine Gael in government.’’

Fine Gael sources agreed the closeness of the parties in terms of Dáil seats would mean an equal partnership rather than the traditional coalition with a major party and a smaller party as the junior partner.

Fianna Fáil continues to insist there is an onus on all parties and Independents to ensure a government is formed and that the way the Dáil does its business has to change.

Core principles

Mr Martin issued a statement suggesting a negotiating committee be given a fortnight to agree core principles on Dáil reform, including the establishment of an independent budget review office to review and cost all proposals brought forward by either government or opposition.

Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins said it was "nonsense'' to suggest a coalition with Fine Gael would put an end to civil war politics, and that there was no ideological divide between the two parties.

“That is a load of nonsense, which gets peddled out by our opponents,’’ he said. “We have a completely different ideology to Fine Gael.’’

Mr Collins said Fianna Fáil looked after the vulnerable and the squeezed middle in society.

“You can see from Fine Gael’s ideology it is all about how to look after big businesses,’’ he added.

Newly elected Fianna Fáil TD for Roscommon-Galway, Eugene Murphy, said he would not rule out Fianna Fáil supporting a minority Fine Gael government if the party changed its policies and gave policy commitments.

"For instance, major initiatives are required to assist rural Ireland, which is in decline,'' he added.

Mr Murphy said there would be considerable grassroots opposition to a coalition arrangement with Fine Gael, not on the basis of Civil War politics but because of policy differences.

Kerry Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin said “all options’’ must be considered so as to provide a stable government and what was best for the country.

He said there was an “obsession’’ about a FG-FF alliance and all members of the new Dáil should realise they had a responsibility to help elect a new government.

“There are counts still under way and it is early days yet,’’ he added. “It is a time to reflect on the outcome of the election.’’

Former Fianna Fáil taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he could not see Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael doing business, adding there was "not a chance in hell of any outcome being achieved by Easter''.

“I hope people just accept that and don’t jump up and down about it,’’ he added.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 programme Today with Sean O'Rourke, he said people had not voted for "all this to collapse in two or three weeks and have another election''.

Mr Ahern said he foresaw another general election later this year.