A rotating Taoiseach arrangement will be part of the next government, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has insisted.
Mr Harris also said it is “possible” there will be a government by January 22nd, adding that formation talks have been “going really well”.
The outcome of the 2020 election saw Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael enter a coalition on the basis that the holder of the Irish premier position would be exchanged midway through the term.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin took the role for the first half of the mandate, with Leo Varadkar taking over in December 2022. Mr Harris succeeded Mr Varadkar as Taoiseach when he resigned from the role last year.
In the November 2024 election, Fianna Fáil secured 10 more seats than Fine Gael.
Asked if Fine Gael would enter into Government without a return to the rotating Taoiseach arrangement, Mr Harris said: “There will be a rotating Taoiseach in the next government and I think that’s been very clear probably since the day or two after the election.”
Mr Harris said the arrangement had worked well in the previous government.
Speaking on Tuesday, he added: “I believe many hundreds of thousands of people in this country have voted for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to provide stable government for the next five years, and for myself and Micheál Martin to lead that government.”
Since the November 29th election, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have been holding intensive talks with each other as well as other parties and independents on forming a government.
The Dail is due to return on January 22d.
The Taoiseach said forming a government before then would be “a little bit tight” but added: “People can work hard, work later, work longer – we’re doing that, and work through the weekend.”
The Fine Gael leader said forming a government within eight weeks of the election is “not an extraordinary length of time” when the Christmas break is taken into consideration.
Certain key areas of the programme of government are understood to have been largely agreed between the two parties, although talks on disability, justice and climate continue.
Mr Harris said he is in regular contact with Mr Martin, sometimes engaging several times a day.
He said there are “three pillars of work” for the talks – policy, government structure, and ratification among party members.
Mr Harris said “intensive” work between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil negotiators is continuing, identifying areas of agreement and disagreement on policy.
He added that the talks on government structure are not about personnel but rather how it is set up to tackle priority areas.
“Let’s take disability as an example, where both parties to the talks – and I think the people of Ireland – have said they want, expect and need better in this area.
“How do you structure government departments to deliver that?”
He also identified co-ordination on migration and energy as other areas for restructuring.
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are just shy of forming a majority by themselves and are expected to rely on independents to make up the numbers.
The Regional Independents Group has put forward eight TDs who are willing to negotiate as a group.
They include former Fine Gael TD Michael Lowry, whose behaviour was previously criticised by a tribunal as “profoundly corrupt”.
The Moriarty Tribunal was set up in 1997 to examine payments made to former taoiseach Charles Haughey and Mr Lowry.
Asked if he had any hesitation about including Mr Lowry in a future government, Mr Harris said he fully accepted the findings of the tribunal.
However, he added: “I also know the practicality of how the Dáil works, and that when people get elected to Dáil Eireann, they can choose to support or not support governments – that’s the way our parliamentary democracy works, and the deputy has been elected.
“But my issue here isn’t about individuals, it’s about recognising that there are a number of independent cities who have come together in a grouping called the regional independents.
“They have indicated that they wish to try and support a government, and we’re happy to engage with them on that basis.”
Mr Harris also described talks with the Social Democrats as “good” and said his party will be meeting the Independent Ireland party in the coming weeks.
He added: “But look, the reality is we’re in the landing zone of being able to deliver a new government, definitely in the month of January.”
