Taoiseach Simon Harris Appoints Fine Gael Government Negotiating Team

Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has today appointed his full negotiating team for talks with other parties and deputies of the 34th Dail on forming a government.

The team will be lead by Fine Gael deputy Leader, TD for Meath East and Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee. Also on the team will be;

• Paschal Donohoe, TD for Dublin Central, Minister for Public Expenditure and President of the Eurogroup
• Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD for Dun Laoghaire and Minister of State at the Department of Finance
• Martin Heydon, TD for Kildare South and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture
• John Cummins, TD for Waterford
• John Paul O’Shea, TD for Cork North West

The team has been mandated by the Taoiseach and the Fine Gael parliamentary party to negotiate a progressive government with like-minded parties and deputies based on the principles of good faith and parity.

A comprehensive and robust program for government that delivers 5 budgets and 5-years of stable governance is the goal of any talks that could lead to Fine Gael entering a coalition.

Ahead of formal and detailed meetings, the Fine Gael Leader has held preliminary conversations with Fianna Fáil, Labour, the Social Democrats and a number of independent TDs. Those conversations were informative and serious whilst also respectful of the processes and talks other parties are entering into.