Harris believes next govt will involve rotating Taoiseach

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has said he believes there will be a rotating Taoiseach in the next government, adding he thinks it is important.

It comes as both Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris have said good progress is being made in discussions between their parties on forming a government with the focus on agreeing a policy agenda for the incoming Dáil.

Mr Harris was asked whether there was any more clarity on how a rotating Taoiseach position might work and the duration of the respective terms in office.

"That doesn't preoccupy much of my time at all," he said.

"I believe there will be a rotating Taoiseach and I think that's important.

"It's not important in relation to individuals, it's important in reflecting the mandates that the parties received during the general election."

Micheál Martin said it still was not clear to him whether either the Social Democrats or Labour had the appetite to enter government, but he expected clarity on that in the coming days.

"If we take the Independent route we do need to make sure that the government lasts five years and that is my agenda, to make sure that it goes full term.

"That means the sufficiency of support behind the government that would enable it to go full term, and that's a factor in that consideration," Mr Martin said.

Mr Martin was speaking in Armagh where he was attending an event to mark 25 years of the North South Ministerial Council and the cross-border bodies established under it.

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris also attended.

Mr Harris said he had good meetings with both the Social Democrats and Labour in recent days.

He said he expected further contact with the Social Democrats over a number of policy areas including housing.

He said he hadd also met all the TDs who form the Regional Independent Group.

The Fine Gael leader said he had no interest in joining a government that couldn't "deliver five budgets".

Sinn Féin holds detailed discussion on Govt formation talks

The Sinn Féin parliamentary party held a detailed discussion on government formation talks earlier.

Party Leader Mary Lou McDonald reported back on her engagement with other parties.

The meeting heard that the numbers allow for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to form a government with the support of Independents.

The party discussed the nomination for Ceann Comhairle and Sinn Féin will be making a nomination.

Meanwhile, the Social Democrats will continue to engage in government formation talks after holding meetings with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, as well as Sinn Féin and Labour, according to the party's deputy leader.

Cian O'Callaghan told the Social Democrats parliamentary party that the meetings "had been positive and constructive with a good exchange of views".

He added: "These talks have been exploratory to date but I expect that next week they will become more focused - particularly on the dealbreakers we highlighted during the election campaign.

"Those dealbreakers were the delivery of 50,000 genuinely affordable homes during the lifetime of the next government; the full implementation of Sláintecare; quality public childcare; a senior minister for disability and credible climate action to avoid up to €20 billion in EU fines," Mr O’Callaghan said.

Separately, talks between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are set to resume.

Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee said her party had "very positive engagement" with the Social Democrats yesterday and has also been speaking to the Labour Party.

Speaking in Brussels, she said Fine Gael wants to put together a strong programme for government that is underpinned by a strong economy and acknowledges the significant challenges that Ireland faces globally.

"We are open to any party that wants to be part of that," she said, adding that she has had "positive engagement" with Fianna Fáil's deputy leader Jack Chambers this week.

"We have agreed to set out a parameter under which we will engage and our teams have since met and we've a plan now for the coming weeks.

"I look forward to working with Fianna Fáil in setting out what we want in a strong programme for government in the years ahead, one that really focuses on delivery for the people of Ireland."

Labour will meet tomorrow to discuss whether to proceed with government formation talks or to step back.

Additional reporting Micheál Lehane