Ireland, agreement for a new government

Brussels – A deal has finally been struck in Ireland to form a new government and bring the country out of the political impasse that followed last November’s elections. The understanding came after the island’s two main political forces, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, managed to agree on a draft program to guide the action of the future executive, as well as on the roles of their respective leaders.

According to the terms of the covenant, finalised earlier today (Jan. 16), the post of prime minister (Taoiseach in Gaelic) will go to the leader of the liberal-conservative Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, while the leader of the Christian-Democrats of Fine Gael, Simon Harris, the outgoing premier, will serve as his deputy (Táinaste) and will also hold the Foreign Ministry.

This concludes two months of intense negotiations that followed the risk that Harris had taken convening the early elections last November 29: the then prime minister had hoped for a clear-cut Fine Gael victory to retain control of the chancellery but was overtaken (albeit narrowly) by the Fianna Fáil allies.

So, it was inevitable that in Dublin, he would be succeeded by Martin, already several times Taoiseach and already in government with him (Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have held power in Ireland since independence in 1921). But, given the vertical collapse of the Greens—who constituted the third leg of the outgoing executive—the centrists will now have to seek a new ally to shore up the government and keep out Sinn Féin, the party that, born as the political arm of IRA, advocates from the left the reunification of the island.

At least nine independent MPs will rescue the new majority in the lower chamber of the Irish Parliament, the Dáil. The vote in the House, after which the government can take office, has been set for January 22.

The program has been presented to the parliamentary groups of the two main governing parties and is awaiting final approval from the members, who are expected to come to dedicated meetings in the coming days. According to media previews, highlights include child care, maintaining the retirement age and keeping the current VAT rate on energy bills. Among other things, the draft agreement also includes a promise to initiate legislative work to prohibit the import of goods from the occupied Palestinian territories by Israeli settlers.