The acting transport minister Shane Ross says "the only real option" for government formation is a Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition.
It comes as Leo Varadkar has said his party is preparing for opposition.
But he added that he would only enter government as a last resort.
Mr Varadkar said that Sinn Féin should try to put together a left wing government, and that Fianna Fáil should try to form a rainbow coalition with The Greens, Labour, the Social Democrats and Independents.
Speaking to Pat Kenny, Mr Ross - who lost his Dublin Rathdown seat in the election - said the parties are focusing on what they do not want.
"That looks to me like it's the only real option at the moment".
"So I think what we're now doing is a kind of a mating dance with a result - which looks like it's going to be a Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition.
"They'll both say they're doing it incredibly reluctantly but they actually want to be in power, and they don't want to be in power with Sinn Féin.
"It's what they're avoiding more than what they're actually looking for.
"I think we will have a Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition with The Greens in it.
"Nobody's going to call them together in the immediate future - we're going to have obviously a non-event in the Dáil on Thursday.
"And then they may include some Independents; and I notice some of the Independents are doing something similar to what we did last time - which was get together and say 'we're a group now, come and talk to us as well'".
"It may be that both Leo Varadkar and Michael Martin and Eamon Ryan, if they all get together they'll add up to about 85 - which is just comfortable.
"But they may feel it's more sensible to take in few Independents as well in order to make it even more comfortable for themselves.
"I wouldn't rule out the Independents, but we were and are kind of high maintenance".
Shane Ross on his Katie Taylor moment:
Does Shane Ross regret the infamous @KatieTaylor photograph at the airport?
"Let there be no doubt, I knew the cameras were there and I wanted to be in the camera shots..." #pknt | @PatKennyNT pic.twitter.com/ZHGJbHDIAD— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) February 17, 2020
