The Progressive Democrats have emerged as pivotal to the formation of the next government, despite the party's disastrous performance in the election.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been in contact with the PDs over the past 48 hours in an effort to win the support of the party's two surviving TDs - Mary Harney and Noel Grealish - in the vote for the election of taoiseach on June 14th.
The PDs held a series of meetings in Dublin yesterday to consider the implications of the election. At a gathering in the afternoon attended by about 100 people, including the party's founder Des O'Malley, councillors, election candidates and directors of elections, a number of speakers said they trusted Mary Harney to deal with the issue of government formation.
Before that meeting Ms Harney confirmed that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had been in contact in an effort to win the support of the party's two TDs but she refused to be drawn on her attitude.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have also been in contact with the five Independent TDs. One, Finian McGrath, confirmed to The Irish Timesthat he had met the Taoiseach's programme manager, Gerry Hickey, and given him a document outlining the basis on which he was prepared to do a deal. Mr McGrath said he had been contacted by Fine Gael and provided that party with his document. He said one party, not Fianna Fáil, had mentioned the possibility of a junior ministry in return for his support.
Former Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Beverley Flynn, speaking at Leinster House, also confirmed she had been contacted by the major parties but she declined to comment in detail on her discussions.
"I met with Enda Kenny briefly this morning and I've also spoken to Fianna Fáil. Obviously I can't discuss the detail of anything that's going on at the minute through the negotiations. It's proper that that would be done privately."
Kerry South TD Jackie Healy Rae said somebody from Fianna Fáil had telephoned him on "Monday or Tuesday" but that no detailed discussion had taken place, and he had given no list of priorities or demands. He also had been contacted by Fine Gael.
Former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry was also contacted by both parties. A number of Independents are believed to have discussed the possibility of a co-ordinated approach to any detailed talks about their support.
Meanwhile the Green Party said that comments by one of its TDs that a coalition deal with Fianna Fáil would be "a deal with the devil" were made in a personal capacity.
The comment was one of a number of highly critical remarks of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern made by Dún Laoghaire TD Ciarán Cuffe, on his website, Cuffe Street.
In his blog, posted in the early hours of Sunday, Mr Cuffe wrote: "A deal with Fianna Fáil would be a deal with the devil. We would be spat out after five years, and decimated as a party. But . . . would it be worth it? Power is a many-faceted thing."
A Greens spokesman said Mr Cuffe's comments were made in a "personal capacity . . . It should not be read as party policy".
After a meeting of the new parliamentary Labour Party yesterday, leader Pat Rabbitte said he still adhered to his views before the election, and that would remain the position even if the Dáil failed to elect a taoiseach on June 14th.
Sinn Féin also set out its position, saying it was open to talks with either side on the formation of the next government, but that it would want seats in the cabinet in return for its support.