Vote for Taoiseach unlikely to happen today as negotiations continue
Independent TDs said there are “number of outstanding issues” as they entered combined talks to go through a tri-party draft programme for government
A vote for Taoiseach is now highly unlikely to be held today as those involved in negotiations said a number of issues still have to be addressed.
Many Independents have signalled they will have to return to their constituencies tonight to talks with supporters before they vote, which mean a ballot could not take place until at least tomorrow.
Enda Kenny will have to let the Dáil know before 4.30pm today if a vote is going to be held tomorrow.
Entering government buildings this afternoon rural Independents said they would not be rushing through the document with Fine Gael officials.
Galway West TD Noel Grealish who is among five rural Independents said he would have to go back to his constituency before signing off on any document.
“We are getting the document we have to go through that document with all of us here and the Independent Alliance.
“We are looking forward to getting that and going through that and we will see what the outcome of that will be.
“We will have to see what is in the final document, will sit down as a group and we will go through it and discuss it to see where we will.
“We have to get a government in place that is right, that will work for this country and we are willing to play our part on that,” he said.
Tipperary Independent Mattie McGrath said: “There are a number of outstanding issues we will have to meet ministers and clarify them, they could be just down to words in some instances but they are still there.
“This is a document of probably 150 pages. The small print will be telling; we have to be happy with every sentence in that.”
Denis Naughten – who has been widely tipped to be given a ministerial role if he supports a Fine Gael led minority government - said no talk of ministerial positions had yet been discussed.
“There hasn’t been any discussions whatsoever on that and we are still a long way off that,” he said.
“Our objective here has always been to try and address how a government does its business and I think you are going to see from the document that comes out of this that there is going to be a different approach to government.
“Whether we are in government or not has yet to be decided.”
