Exhausting Options, In the National Interest

Edit: The Greens have pulled out of talks with Fianna Fail citing too many policy gaps. I could be right after all.

I departed this fair isle on Sunday with a putative coalition meeting to discuss government. Those who tipped the Fianna Fail/Green option were ready to accept the mantle of truly knowledgable politicos. However I return to see that they are still wrangling over all sorts of issues (it depends on who you read and whom you listen to). The Greens are in today for the final final final round of talks it seems. The issues appear to be the Progressive Democrats and a number of policy blocks. So far your not surprised that I am able to catch up on news.

However it did occur to me as I crossed the Liffey that the cutest of them all may be planning something far more cunning. In discussing options with Independents, PDs and Greens in such a way as government formation becomes nigh on impossible for one or all parties (Harney in Health is a great place to start), one opens the possibility of no Taoiseach being elected on June 14. The Mullingar Accord dissolves and the pact between Fine Gael and Labour becomes null which may open up the option of the national interest. The politicians will be faced with two options, form a government or return to the country. This would put the Fianna Fail/Labour option back on the agenda and a great deal of pressure on them to do a deal. The cunning one, having exhausted all other options, may well be opening just that door. And if he gets a government along the way, there is always mid-term breakdown to think of.

Apologies if I am regurgitating things already put on the site, have only read the Indo (how I missed it) and heard the news. Off to read the rest now.