Labour and Social Democrats continue talks with main two parties
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The Labour Party and the Social Democrats are continuing talks with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, but there is belief within both parties that regional independents will be part of the next government.
Labour's parliamentary party will meet on Thursday to decide its next steps following meetings with both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, while the Social Democrats will meet with Fine Gael on Thursday. In a statement on Monday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said that his party had met with Labour.
"The meeting focused on areas of policy, including housing, climate, enterprise and health."
The Labour Party's leader Ivana Bacik had written to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael last week seeking "a substantive response from the leaders of [both parties] on Labour's key policy priorities".
While sources said the meetings had been constructive, they accepted that the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backing of independent TD Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle showed those parties' preference was the group of nine regional independent TDs for a coalition partner.
Ms Bacik last week said her party was "unlikely" to go into government given the numbers but wanted to give both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil a chance to fully lay out its plans around issues such as housing. But, she said, her party was aware that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is close to a Dáil majority.
Within both the Social Democrats and Labour, there is a belief that while Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been upfront, a coalition including independents was always "the likeliest outcome".
"There's a bit of a game here," said one source.
"They want to spend the next five years saying that nobody else is interested in governing and we want to show them we're serious."
It is understood that Thursday's meeting between the Social Democrats and Fine Gael will focus on areas such as housing and disability, but that Fine Gael is unlikely to accede to the Social Democrats' five "dealbreakers": 50,000 affordable purchase homes; the full implementation of Sláintecare; a senior minister for disability; quality public childcare; and credible climate action.
The Social Democrats also met on Tuesday with Sinn Féin to discuss what a party source called "better cooperation if we're in opposition together".