A coalition between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents is not inevitable and other options are still to be explored, the acting leader of the Social Democrats has said.
Cian O’Callaghan has said his party will continue its discussions with the two outgoing Government parties into January. There has been “recognition” from both parties, he added, of the Social Democrats’ red-line issues, including disability, Sláintecare, child care and housing.
“I’m not going to take away from what is very apparent - that a Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents government could well be formed later in January,” said Mr O’Callaghan, who has assumed the leadership of the party during the maternity leave of leader Holly Cairns. “I am not disputing this but I don’t think that’s an inevitable outcome. My sense is that there are other options and they are being explored.”
In an interview with The Irish Times, Mr O’Callaghan said that there had been engagement on issues that the party considers to be key.
“There has been a serious recognition of disability as an issue,” he said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done in that area. I think that is recognised. It is something that Holly [Cairns], in particular, has been raising consistently.
“I think there is growing recognition across the political spectrum that we’re falling very far short of the kind of support and services that are needed. I think there is growing momentum on that.
“How that translates in the next government will remain to be seen. I do think there’s general acceptance and recognition that we could and must be doing much better in the area of disability.”
A delegation from the party met Fine Gael late last week and has planned a further meeting with Fianna Fáil in early January. Its parliamentary party will also meet after Christmas to take stock of progress.
“The parliamentary party is going to go through in detail the issues that we’ve been discussing with the other parties, and in detail where we feel that there’s areas that we may be able to agree, where we feel there’s areas where there may be disagreements, areas that may be open to negotiations.
“We will get feedback from the members of the parliamentary party at that meeting. Getting the input from all the TDs is an important part of the process for us.”
He said there was a responsibility on his party to engage seriously with other parties, including those with different perspectives and views.
“You have to accept that elections inevitably don’t have the ideal outcome for any party. Coalition governments and multiparty [arrangements] have become part of the landscape in Ireland. What changes you can produce out of that process that will make people’s lives better is what politics is really about.”
Significantly, Mr O’Callaghan, a TD for Dublin Bay North, downplayed the prospect of a pact or an alliance with other parties in the event of the Social Democrats going into opposition.
“While we are always open to talking to, and co-operating with, other parties, we have a mandate to stand on our own two feet. So, in terms of any more formal arrangements we would not necessarily see that come to pass, although we are open to working constructively with other parties.
Mr O’Callaghan was also asked about the suspension of Dublin Bay South TD Eoin Hayes, who misled the party about when he disposed of shares in a company that supplied military technology to Israel. He said the national executive will review all the circumstances and said the question as to if and when Mr Hayes would be allowed return did not arise at this moment.
“There’s no question that mistakes were made but we have learned from them and that’s important,” he said.
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