Sinn Féin reaches out to Social Democrats and Labour in coalition bid
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Sinn Féin has reached out to both the Social Democrats and Labour in a coalition bid, as the party concedes that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have the numbers for a government.
Mary Lou McDonald has contacted both Holly Cairns and Ivana Bacik today, as the Sinn Féin leader seeks to form a left-wing alliance heading into the 34th Dáil.
Seat projections estimate that Sinn Féin will have 40 seats, while Labour and the Social Democrats will have 11 apiece.
This leaves the three parties at 62 seats, well short of the 88 seats needed for a majority in the next Dáil.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, based on projected seats, will fall just short of a majority with 86 seats between them. Fianna Fáil will be the larger party on 48, while Fine Gael will have 38 seats.
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In a statement, Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin confirmed the contact, while saying that the outcome of the election is “clear”.
“The numbers are there for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to form a government together. It looks like Micheál Martin is intent on bringing Fine Gael in as a junior party for the next five years,” Mr Ó Broin said.
Mr Ó Broin said that, alongside contacting the leaders of Labour and the Social Democrats, Sinn Féin is to contact likeminded “progressive TDs and groupings” later this week.
He added that the Sinn Féin parliamentary party would meet on Wednesday and will “assess where we take things at that stage.”
A spokesperson for the Social Democrats has responded, saying that the party wants to go into Government and said repeatedly that they “will talk to everyone in order to achieve that”.
“Unlike other parties, we have also been clear on what our priorities will be in any government formation talks,” the spokesperson said.
“At an early stage in the election campaign, we outlined five dealbreakers - on housing, healthcare, climate, disability and childcare - which must be included as a minimum, in any programme for government, in order to secure our support.”
The spokesperson added that the enlarged Social Democrats parliamentary party is yet to meet, but this will happen in the coming days.
“When it does, a negotiating team will be appointed to begin this process and start those meetings,” the spokesperson concluded.
Elsewhere, a Labour spokesperson said: "We will be speaking to those on the centre left and Green Party first.”
Speaking as he was elected in Co Louth, Labour TD Ged Nash said that people need to “reflect” on the message given by the electorate as government formation looms.
“If you want to make this country better, there’s one way of doing that and that’s to be in government,” Mr Nash said.
“To put your money were your mouth is, to put your ideas into action and to see them implanted, because I don’t believe anybody votes for anybody to go into opposition.
“We’re a party of government. That’s what we’re focused on and we want to be part of the next government."
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