Formal talks on a programme for government will begin on Thursday after Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil gave the Green Party written assurances on plans to achieve a reduction in emissions.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan met Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar on Tuesday to discuss the timetable for talks. Mr Ryan indicated afterwards that the process could potentially be concluded by the end of the month.
The Fine Gael parliamentary party also met virtually on Tuesday evening, and some party members expressed concerns about the planned negotiations.
Road projects
Wexford Senator Michael Darcy said Fine Gael had lost the last election and needed to be careful about entering government and mindful about the next election whenever it came around. Sources say there were also discussions on the importance of new road projects to the economy.
The Green Party has previously said that rather than investing heavily in new roads, there needs to be more investment in infrastructure for cycling and walking.
Fine Gael parliamentary party chairman Martin Heydon said that during Tuesday’s meeting, a “significant number of party TD’s and senators sought reassurances that Fine Gael core values and policy’s would be reflected in an agreed Programme for Government.”
Mr Varadkar also told his party colleagues that he is “determined” that the negotiations are successful and that he is confident a new Government can be in place by next month.
Sources at the meeting said that Fine Gael minister Michael Creed expressed concerns that more focus was being put on Green Party demands than on Fine Gael principles.
Carlow Kilkenny TD JP Phelan also expressed misgivings about the Green Party’s red line issues.
In the written clarification to the Greens, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil said they were “happy to confirm that a new government comprising our three parties will commit to developing measures to achieve an average 7 per cent per annum reduction in annual emissions for the next decade”.
Outlining how the 7 per cent target could be met on Tuesday, Mr Ryan said there would need to be a new land-use plan, new energy projects and the retrofitting of buildings among other key measures. He said talks “won’t be easy and nothing is certain but our party is ready to play our part and hopefully we will see a successful outcome”.
