Negotiators from various political parties are working tirelessly to finalize a coalition agreement, aiming to form a new Irish government by January 22nd. The process has been described as intense, with a significant amount of work dedicated to navigating complex issues and establishing a roadmap for the next five years.
Over 20 negotiators from various political parties and groups have been diligently working to finalize a coalition agreement. While the process might appear slow and methodical, insiders describe it as anything but. They say an immense amount of work has been undertaken since the start of the year, particularly focusing on navigating through a vast amount of paperwork. A crucial objective is to establish a roadmap for the next five years, even if not every single detail is addressed.
Negotiators emphasize that the talks are now in a critical final stage, with only a few minor details remaining to be ironed out. The expectation is that a new government will be formed on January 22nd. Although some debate on specific issues is anticipated, there is optimism that this timeline can be met.The negotiating teams have strived to maintain a tight process, minimizing leaks to the media about the discussions, arguments, and decisions being made. There's a palpable concern among negotiators that a poorly timed leak could jeopardize the last five weeks of painstaking work, just as the formation of a new Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil/Independent government appears imminent. Leading the Fine Gael negotiating team is Leo Varadkar, with contributions from Darragh O'Brien, Norma Foley, Mary Butler, James Lawless, and James Browne. Each negotiator has specialized in specific areas such as housing, health, and justice. For Fianna Fáil, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has spearheaded the negotiating team. Other members include Minister for Public Expenditure, Minister of State Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister of State Martin Heydon, John Cummins, and John Paul O'Shea. Their primary task has been to ensure a fair and balanced approach in negotiations, considering Fianna Fáil's victory in the last general election, where they secured 10 more seats. The Regional Independent Group (RIG) and the Healy-Rae brothers have also been actively involved in the talks. With a draft program for government almost complete, the focus will now shift to the ratification process within each party. Fianna Fáil will convene a parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday and likely a special ardfheis this weekend. Fine Gael will host five regional events for members to attend and vote on the proposed agreement. Negotiators will present details and answer questions, followed by voting at each event. An electoral college system will be used, with the parliamentary party vote carrying 55%, the members' vote 30%, and the councillors' vote 15%. All votes will be tallied at Fine Gael headquarters
Ireland Coalition Government Politics Negotiations Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Regional Independent Group Healy-Raes
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