The Irish parliament resumes on Wednesday, with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin set to return for a second term as taoiseach.
35. Dáil (Irish Parliament) Mr. Martin will be elected taoiseach (prime minister), replacing Fine Gael leader Simon Harris who will return as tánaiste (deputy prime minister).
Fianna Fáil – the largest party – formed a government with Fine Gael and a number of independent regional Teachtaí Dálas (TDs) after elections in November.
Sinn Féin remains the largest opposition party after winning 39 seats. Fianna Fáil won 48 seats, while Fine Gael came third with 38 seats.
Mr Martin and Mr Harris confirmed the new draft program for the government earlier this month.
The deal paved the way for the next government and was successfully supported by both sides in recent days.
Speaking after his party endorsed the program for government, Mr. Martin said there was a “strong commitment” on behalf of his party to deliver results for the Irish people.
“I can assure you that we will spare no effort in working selflessly on behalf of the people of Ireland to deliver this program for government, to make things better for people and improve the quality of life as we navigate very turbulent global waters,” he said.
Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have ruled out Sinn Féin as a coalition partner, which party leader Mary Lou McDonald called “bad practice”.
This is the first time that the new government will sit after the elections in November, and the negotiations with the government will last about five weeks.
The new Dáil has already been a source of controversy after a number of independent TDs, including Michael Lowry, Danny Healy-Rae, Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole, who support the government, wanted to sit and speak from the opposition benches.
New Ceann Comhairle (speaker) – also a regional independent – Verona Murphy, who is the first woman in the role, told TDs she would consider submissions opposing the plan but allowed the group to “temporarily” take their original seats.
All other opposition groups oppose the idea, calling it bipartisan and a waste of time for those who want to control the government.
As part of his return to the Dáil on Wednesday, Mr. Martin will travel to Áras an Uachtaráin at around 1pm local time to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins in the State Reception Room.
The President will then sign the order of appointment and deliver the seal of the taoiseach and the seal of the government to Mr Harris.
Later, around 8 p.m., the nomination of the members of the Headship will begin.
The President will sign the order appointing members of the Government and the order appointing the Attorney General, each of which will be countersigned by the taoiseach.
The President will then present each minister in turn with their official seal.
