Fine Gael ministers remain hopeful that Enda Kenny can be elected taoiseach by Thursday as talks to form a government continue.
Negotiations were held with members of the Independent Alliance and rural independents yesterday but the groups are yet to declare whether they will back Mr Kenny to become head of the next government.
No date is scheduled for a vote but Fine Gael sources suggested that progress had been encouraging and it was hoped a taoiseach would be in place by the end of the week.
Fine Gael will hold a parliamentary party meeting today to update TDs and senators.
The negotiations, which lasted all day, covered mortgage arrears, health, disability, mental health, agriculture, rural affairs and the practical operation of a minority government.
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It is 67 days since the general election and Fine Gael sources say the party is anxious to bring the talks process to a conclusion.
Members of the six-strong Independent Alliance were given a second briefing on the deal brokered between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to form a minority government.
Micheál Martin’s party has agreed to abstain on the next vote for taoiseach if Mr Kenny has the numbers to be elected. The parties have also agreed a broad set of policies for the next parliament.
The Independent Alliance, which was given limited information on the document last week, had a more detailed briefing yesterday.
Simon Coveney, the acting agriculture minister who is one of Fine Gael’s chief negotiators, said that the talks were nearing the “endgame” over the weekend and a vote for taoiseach could take place by Thursday or Friday.
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However, Michael Fitzmaurice, of the Independent Alliance, said that he believed the talks would continue into next week. “It will take whatever length it takes,” he told the RTE radio show Morning Ireland.
He said that the parties had taken a fortnight to develop a framework on how a minority government could work and suggested that agreeing a programme for government could take just as long. “There were 31 different policies discussed with Fianna Fail; that took two weeks. I’m not saying we’re going to take two weeks but we won’t be rushed.”
He said that he did not want ministers to put a time limit on the talks and added: “This is a game of trying to pressurise people, that’s not a great idea in my view. I would be surprised if we had a taoiseach by Thursday. When we go [into the talks] we intend to do 12 hours a day if necessary but it would be pushing it to say we would have a taoiseach this week.”
Mr Fitzmaurice and his colleagues Shane Ross and John Halligan were briefed by Leo Varadkar, the acting health minister, on progress in relation to one of the group’s key requests.
Mr Halligan is seeking a second cardiac catheterisation laboratory at Waterford general hospital and the introduction of 24-hour cardiac care. He had been in touch with Mr Varadkar over the weekend but a public spat broke out when Mr Halligan claimed that the acting health minister had been a hindrance to the progression of the talks.
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It is understood that yesterday’s meeting was “cordial and professional” but that progress was still needed.
Before the meeting Mr Fitzmaurice admitted that relationships with Fine Gael had been strained at times but that he expected a deal could be agreed to the satisfaction of all members of the alliance. He refused to be drawn on whether cabinet positions had been discussed.
“The most important thing is a programme for government; we are people who go into a room and decide things; we will work together, let’s not put the cart before the horse,” he said. “Cabinet positions are the most trivial part of this in my opinion.”
Members of the rural independent TDs entered talks at about 6pm last night. The group comprised Denis Naughten, Michael Harty, Michael Collins, Mattie McGrath and Noel Grealish.
The group was expected to be briefed on the deal brokered between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and on issues that had been discussed previously with Fine Gael.