Fine Gael members were virtually unanimous in their support for the party’s decision to go into a minority Government, when they met in Athlone yesterday.

According to one party member, there were “just two defectors” out of 500 people at a national consultative meeting, from all constituencies, in the Sheraton Hotel.

Just two protestors demonstrated outside the venue as Taoiseach Enda Kenny was leaving – a woman protesting about the refugee crisis and the drownings in the Mediterranean, and a man protesting about water charges.

At the meeting the party stressed the need for compromise and consensus in government. Members were warned the Government would lose votes as well as win them and they would all have to get used to that.

The Taoiseach said after the five-hour meeting there were 60 contributions and “I think people were very happy to give an overwhelming endorsement to the programme for government.”

Party structure

He said contributors made the point that “in some areas of the country the party needs to look at its structure, at the way it listens to our elected representatives and supporters of the party and we’re very happy to do that”.

Mr Kenny said the meeting was one of a series to be held over the next couple of years where the party would focus on some of the things it could do and do better.

He described the minority Government as a “most unusual situation” and re-iterated comments he made in the Dáil when the Government was formed that “you can’t either direct, enforce or instruct anybody anymore. It’s a very changed situation.”

He said the biggest challenge was “attitudinal change” because to get legislation through they had to be able to arrive at a consensus.

“I think generally people around the country are happy to see a Government in situ and the programme reflects the complex answer the people gave,” he said.

Clear agreement

Asked about concerns that Fianna Fáil might threaten to veto key policies, Mr Kenny said the agreement with Fianna Fáil was very clear: “Three budgets and supply-and-confidence votes and I respect it’s not easy for any party to have such a change in their situation.”

“We have an agreement and we will honour that agreement and I said to Micheál Martin and others: good faith and no surprises and we will supply the information and consult where appropriate and necessary.”

Earlier, Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar said: “If Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin come together, as they would have to to vote something down, it’s up to them to explain to the public why they didn’t support our proposals, because the only proposals we’re going to put forward are the ones we believe are in the interests of the people”.

Government chief whip Regina Doherty described the meeting as positive but said there were some issues of concern, particularly around Irish Water.

The meeting was focused on the programme for government, the future of the party and how a minority government would work.

It was told the meeting was not a review of the general election as there were already three reports in preparation reviewing the election.