Fianna Fáil newsFianna Fáil will seek cast-iron guarantees from the Progressive Democrats, Greens and Independents that any coalition formed in coming weeks will last five years.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and senior Fianna Fáil Ministers are expected to meet this week for a preliminary discussion about coalition options, though Mr Ahern has kept his options open.
Before the election he listed a deal with the Progressive Democrats and "like-minded" Independents as one of the possibilities that could emerge. But, he told RTÉ radio's This Week yesterday: "Of course, there are other alternatives. You know Fianna Fáil in recent years, I suppose like a lot of political parties of the world, has put in a huge amount of effort on environmental issues. We have our climate change strategy, we've our sustainable development, we've all that we've done on renewables. A big issue in our party for the last year in policy development has been around wind and wave power. So I think there are those who would look at the Greens."
Fianna Fáil believes the Progressive Democrats would join a coalition, particularly if Mary Harney was offered the Department of Health. Privately, however, senior Fianna Fáil figures acknowledge that the Independents now available are not as cohesive as those present after the 1997 election, when Jackie Healy-Rae, Mildred Fox, Harry Blaney and Tom Gildea offered loyal support.
Independents must accept that a deal done today would have to last "when dissatisfaction ratings are rising 18 months from now", said one Minister, though senior figures believe an agreement could be struck with Independents Mr Healy-Rae, Finian McGrath and Tony Gregory.
In addition, an arrangement with Mayo's Beverley Flynn is "doable", and a more arm's length relationship with ex-Fine Gael TD Michael Lowry is deemed possible, while the post of Ceann Comhairle could be offered to one of them, or to a veteran Labour TD.
Excluding Mr Lowry and Ms Flynn, all of the Independents are from three-seat constituencies, which would complicate Fianna Fail's life in subsequent elections if the Ceann Comhairle went to Mr Gregory, for example.
Mr Lowry can be left out of the reckoning because the Moriarty tribunal has yet to rule on his handling of the awarding of a second mobile phone licence during the mid-1990s, while Ms Flynn is considered unsuitable for such a role by former Fianna Fáil colleagues.
Private conversations between key Fianna Fáil Ministers and Independents, PDs and Greens are likely to take place in parallel over coming days, but few formal manoeuvres are likely before the early part of next week: "There will be a certain amount of political theatre over the next few days," said one source.
Some Fianna Fáil quarters, though, are positive about doing a deal with the Greens, if they could be sure that the party would stay tied in for five years. However, the Greens continue to irritate them by referring to the need for changes to corporate political donations laws, and the need to "clean up" politics.
