Coalition government likely in Ireland as count proceeds

Fianna Fail say decisions on power-sharing for another day’

Fianna Fail’s leader has hailed his party’s general election performance, but insisted he will let the “dust settle” on the results before turning his thoughts to government formation. With Micheal Martin’s party on course to secure the most seats in the Dail parliament, speculation is intensifying around the potential make-up of the next coalition in Dublin.

Fianna Fail’s leader has hailed his party’s general election performance, but insisted he will let the “dust settle” on the results before turning his thoughts to government formation. With Micheal Martin’s party on course to secure the most seats in the Dail parliament, speculation is intensifying around the potential make-up of the next coalition in Dublin.

After two days of counting following Friday’s poll, and with more than 100 of the 174 seats filled by yesterday evening, the return of an administration involving Fianna Fail and Fine Gael now looks a much more likely prospect than any government including the long-time main opposition party, Sinn Fein.

The two centre-right parties that have dominated Irish politics for a century, and who shared power in the last coalition, both ruled out governing with Sinn Fein before the election, so it seems unlikely that either would countenance that option if they could form a workable coalition together.