Ireland's next programme for Government has been agreed upon by the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, as well as a number of Independent TDs, it has been announced today, Wednesday, January 15.
"Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris today [January 15] welcomed an agreement to form the next government, along with the support of a number of Independent TDs," a joint statement said on Wednesday.
"The draft Programme for Government will be presented to the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parliamentary parties this afternoon.
"It will now be the subject of approval by the party memberships over the coming days.
"This will then clear the way for the nomination of a Taoiseach when the Dáil returns on January 22nd and the formation of the 35th Government of Ireland.
"The agreement comes following negotiations by teams from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and the Regional Independent Group.
"Both party leaders today said the focus was on a strong and stable government to deliver continued progress on the economy, infrastructure, housing and public services over the coming years.
"If agreed, the leaders said, the two parties will work together - along with their Independent colleagues - to deliver for families and tackle the challenges facing the country."
Statement on the Agreement on the Programme for Government. pic.twitter.com/AEO1uesJS0
— Fianna Fáil (@fiannafailparty) January 15, 2025
Taoiseach Simon Harris, the leader of Fine Gael, further said on Wednesday: "Since the General Election, we have been working night and day to deliver a Programme for Government.
"Fine Gael went into negotiations to put together a government that can deliver on the issues that matter to you, your family, and your community."
Harris added: "This Programme for Government is about you - the people of Ireland and it is about securing the future of this great country.
"It is ambitious on housing, climate, childcare and business supports."
Since the General Election we have been working night and day to deliver a Programme for Government.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) January 15, 2025
Fine Gael went into negotiations to put together a government that can deliver on the issues that matter to you, your family and your community. pic.twitter.com/9Wo1teoqSi
Who will be Ireland's next Taoiseach?
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is poised to again be Taoiseach after previously holding the position from June 2020 through November 2022.
The draft programme for Ireland's next Government - titled "Securing Ireland's Future" - states: "The nomination of the Leader of Fianna Fáil and the ministers proposed by him will be supported by all parties and TDs supporting the government."
The draft programme goes on to state that the leader of Fianna Fáil will hold the office of the Taoiseach until November 16, 2027, at which point he will resign and all parties and TDs supporting the Government will support the nomination of the leader of Fine Gael - currently Simon Harris - to be the new Taoiseach.
As head of Government, the Taoiseach nominates a deputy (the Tánaiste) and a cabinet of ministers to take responsibility for the departments of government, of which there are currently 18.
According to RTÉ News, the next Cabinet will overall see Fianna Fáil holding eight senior ministerial posts to Fine Gael's seven.
As per the Irish Constitution, a Cabinet must have a minimum of seven and a maximum of 15 members. The Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and Minister for Finance must be TDs, while two senators can be members of the government.
Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin is poised to become Taoiseach again. (RollingNews.ie)
Independents to support Ireland's next Government
Wednesday's joint statement comes a day after it was reported that a number of TDs from the Regional Independent Group (RIG) were on board to join the Fianna Fáil - Fine Gael coalition.
Galway West TD Noel Grealish is set to become minister of state in the Department of Agriculture, while Galway East TD Seán Canney will be appointed as a minister of state in the Department of Transport.
As super junior ministers, Grealish and Canney will sit at Cabinet.
Longford–Westmeath TD Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran is slated for a junior minister role in the Department of Education, while Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin is set for a junior minister role in Ireland's Office of Public Works.
It was also reported on Wednesday that Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae of Co Kerry, not a member of the RIG, will serve in a junior minister role at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for forestry.
Junior Ministers, also known as Ministers of State, are not actually members of the Cabinet, but they help Government ministers in their parliamentary and departmental work.
January 15, 2025: Members of the Regional Independents Group (L to R) TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, TD Noel Grealish, TD Gillian Toole, TD Michael Lowry, TD Marian Harkin, TD Barry Heneghan, TD Sean Canney during a media briefing on Government formation at Leinster House, Dublin. (RollingNews.ie)
Why is there another coalition government in Ireland?
In Ireland's General Election in November, no one party fielded enough candidates to win the majority of the 174 seats in the next Dáil Éireann, setting Ireland up for another coalition government.
Fianna Fáil won the most seats (48) in the 2024 General Election, while Fine Gael won the third most seats (38).
Sinn Féin won the second most seats (39), but both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, who were a part of the outgoing coalition, vowed not to go into power with Mary Lou McDonald's party in the next government.
While it was expected that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were going to go into coalition again, together they still did not reach the majority 88 seats needed to win control of the Dáil. The parties have thus turned to some Independent TDs, who overall won 16 seats, to get them over the line.
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