Statement by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D.

The new political reality following the election of the 32nd Dail is difficult for all political parties, including my own, but ending civil war politics is the best thing for our country now.

The General Election result requires a new way of doing politics to provide stable, lasting Government working in cooperation with a reformed Oireachtas. Since the election, Fine Gael has made every effort to form a Government that has the capacity to tackle the serious national and international challenges facing Ireland. Our housing and homeless crisis requires immediate action to help families and their children secure a roof over their heads, our health service faces ongoing pressures, and we need to continue to create new jobs and opportunities in both rural and urban Ireland in the face of serious external risks, such as our largest trading partner having a referendum on exiting the EU in 11 weeks.

Last Wednesday evening I proposed that, in the national interest, we create a full Partnership Government between Fine Gael, Independent TDs and Fianna Fail. Our proposal is to create a Government based on parity of esteem, consensus building, mutual respect and collective decision making. Such a Government would have the capacity to deal with our country’s challenges over a full Dail term and beyond. Our approach to further discussions with the Independents and other political parties would be based on the principle that all those who work to form such a Government would have an opportunity to participate in it, consistent with their electoral mandates.

It is my hope that those willing to participate or support in a Partnership Government can come together to discuss and agree how such a Government will work. I am prepared to host a meeting early next week involving all Independent TDs involved in recent discussions together with the Leader of Fianna Fail and I intend to write to all Independent TDs and to the Fianna Fail Leader to that effect. I believe that a Partnership Government is in the best interests of our country and deserves full consideration.