The 34th Dáil has 174 seats, meaning 87 are needed to form an overall majority.
In last week’s 2024 general election, Fianna Fáil returned triumphant with 48 seats, while Fine Gael came back with 38, for a grand total of 86 between them, meaning that the two parties – who are expected to go into coalition with one another – would be just one seat short of a majority together.
There has been much speculation as to who the government might employ to make up the numbers – but Gript reached out to a number of Independents and smaller parties to see if they would theoretically be open to joining in principle.
In the General Election, Aontú grew its seats from 1 to 2, with party leader Peadar Toibín now being joined in the Dáil by newly-elected TD Paul Lawless.
However, while Lawless told Newstalk that he personally would not be opposed to going into Government, Toibín told Gript that he would not be willing to prop up Fine Gael for another 5 years. He said that the party had been in office for 13 years already, and that his party would not be responsible for giving them 18 years in office.
Aontú, it would seem, is out.
Independent Ireland went into the election with 3 seats, and emerged with 4. Asked by Gript if they would be theoretically open to joining the Government, party leader Michael Collins said they might hypothetically, but that the party would have certain red-line issues that they would consider non-negotiables, including around the nitrates directive and its impact on farmers.
Asked for specifics, he said “It’s not for me to say right now – first we need to get heads around a table in Dublin and figure out is it even possible in principle, and then we can discuss the specifics.”
He also said that if the party could not come to an agreement with the bigger parties, then they would become a fierce opposition party.
Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae TD
The Healy-Rae brothers from Kerry appear open to joining a Government formation subject to certain conditions, with Michael posting on social media:
Mattie McGrath TD
Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath said that he, too, would be theoretically open to joining a Government, but that his red line issues would be ensuring that the government ditched its “mad liberal agenda,” particularly around things like the school curriculum and more. He also added that he would like to see more done for special needs education, and a whole range of other issues.