Government formation: Green Taoiseach 'not on our agenda', insists Eamon Ryan

The Green Party met for a parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the policy framework document
Government formation: Green Taoiseach 'not on our agenda', insists Eamon Ryan
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan

Eamon Ryan says a Green Party Taoiseach in a coalition government is "not on our agenda".

The Green Party met for a parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the policy framework document put forward by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in order to entice a smaller party to join in a government coalition.

"We will come back to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, responding to their document, asking further detailed questions, looking for clarity on those specific issues," Mr Ryan said.

"Our party has been working hard on that for the last three or four days, so we will come back to them in the next day or two as part of that process."

Earlier in the day, Leo Varadkar said that there could be in a Green Party Taoiseach in the next coalition, which Mr Ryan dismissed.

"No, I don't think that's on our agenda at all," he said.

"That's not an issue we're considering and I wouldn't be pushing for."

Mr Ryan, who it's understood would be in favour of joining in a coalition, unlike some of his party members, added he felt it was too early to say whether his party will definitely join in government formation, adding that definitive climate targets will need to be set, in order for his party to consider government.

"Our party hasn't ruled out government options, but there won't be any point of it unless government can deliver real change, and particularly one which can set the economic recovery of this country in a path which is truly sustainable, which is to support a secure economic system," he added.

We've never ruled anything out, we went to the people in the election, saying that there is an urgency, we do have a crisis facing us, as well as this immediate health crisis, we have the bigger climate and biodiversity crisis.

"Our instinct is always to try and play our part as best we can, but there's no point to if isn't to real scale, urgency and speed, and they are the sort of details we need to tease out.

"We're looking to develop a new economic system that is truly sustainable in every way.

"I think people want to see government done right, and that it has lasted 10 weeks is very frustrating, it's taking so long, but has actually allowed us to focus on what is the major crisis, the health crisis, and there has effectively been real cooperation across the parties to make sure we got the response to this health crisis right.

"I think that was right, that that was first and foremost in our priorities."

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have 72 seats between them, eight short of a majority.

However, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has made it clear that he does not want to rely on independent TDs alone for government formation, and is keen for a smaller party to join in, for purposes of "stability".

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