Deal To Form Government Agreed With Martin Expected As Taoiseach

A deal has been reached to form the next government.

After marathon talks over the weekend the leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens met this morning to finalise a Programme for Government.

Programme for Government says proposals on “a right to disconnect” from work will be brought forward this year

— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) June 15, 2020

It's now been signed off on, with Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin confirming the news as he left government buildings, saying it represents a "new departure in terms of how we deal with key issues from housing, education and health."

He's expected to become the Taoiseach until 2022 - with Leo Varadkar to take over after him. "There will be a rotating Taoiseach, we've agreed the date," said Leo Varadkar.

The Green Party Eamon Ryan arrives at Government Buildings, 14-06-2020. Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

"This is an agreement from my point of view, and certainly from the point of view of the country is a good one," continued the Fine Gael leader.

There's some significant wins for the Greens.

They include a 7 per cent annual reduction in carbon emissions, a two to one ratio of spending on public transport ahead of new road development, and a million euro a day to be spent on cycling and walking.

29/05/2020 Post-Cabinet press briefing. Pictured is An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar outside Government Buildings, as he briefed media on topics including Brexit and the response to Covid-19 (Coronavirus) following today’s Cabinet meeting. Photograph: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland

"I hope so," said Eamon Ryan when asked if he thinks his party will approve the deal. "There's a lot of things in it, that I think if we deliver them, it would be a huge achievement."

The document has been sent to the parliamentary party ahead of the first meetings to debate it this evening.

Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin speaking outside Government Buildings, 14-06-2020. Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA Images

It then has to go to the party memberships for an approval process likely to take two weeks