Former deputy leader of Fine Gael Simon Coveney has said it will be a “very difficult proposition” for the party to re-enter a coalition with Fianna Fail without a rotating taoiseach.
However, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin told reporters on Sunday that such a decision is a conversation for “another day”.
Fianna Fail is likely to increase its seat lead over Fine Gael compared with the 2020 election, which saw the parties enter a coalition on the basis that the holder of the Irish premier position would be exchanged midway through the term.
Mr Coveney, who retired from politics at the end of the outgoing parliamentary term, said Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have proven they are “compatible partners in government” but added that he suspects a third partner would be needed.
He predicted Fine Gael would secure “around 38 seats” while Fianna Fail would be “close to 48″
Asked about the increased gap, he said: “There are a number of ways that you can define numbers. There are the number of seats in the Dail, but there’s also the percentage vote that the parties have got nationally, and the percentage vote that the parties have got nationally is more or less the same – that’s an important mandate that certainly Fine Gael will carry into any discussions.
“I think it would be a very difficult proposition for Fine Gael to move into a coalition government, having just come through a coalition government where a rotating taoiseach has worked very successfully and has contributed to stability in government.”
Speaking to reporters at a Cork count centre, the former Irish deputy premier added: “That’ll be a matter, obviously, for the party leaders and for the parliamentary parties concerned.
“But I think from a Fine Gael perspective, it would be very difficult for them to consider going into government without having a taoiseach for part of that government.”
Asked by reporters about those comments, Mr Martin said: “Is Simon acting as mediator now or what? Look, it is all for another day.”
The Fianna Fail leader said there was “very little point” in discussing government formation until seats are finalised.
Speaking at the count centre, he said: “I’ll do my own reflections, think about it. I need a long walk – from an exercise point of view, but also to clear the head and think this one through.
“There’s very serious challenges facing the country and we’ve got to keep the country right and put the people before ourselves and before parties.”
Asked if he agreed with Mr Coveney that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael had learned to trust each other, he agreed and joked: “I think there’s capacity to get on.”
Mr Coveney said a coalition with a smaller party would be “more stable” than an agreement with independents.
Speaking to reporters in Cork, he said he was speaking personally as he was not a “decision maker any more”, but added: “I think a party is generally more stable than a group of individuals, although I have been involved in coalition governments with both.
“And I have to say, the coalition government we had with a group of independents worked pretty well – and there are quite a number of independents who are going to get elected who, if you like, are from a sort of Fine Gael-Fianna Fail gene pool.”
Attention has turned to whether Labour or the Social Democrats could become a junior partner in a coalition.
Mr Coveney, who was Irish foreign affairs minister during Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU, added: “I think both the Social Democrats and Labour will will come back with a reasonably strong performance in this election.
“I hope both of those parties will want to be in government, and we’ll talk with an open mind and with realism in terms of how you can put a government together with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.”
