Sinn Féin spent seven and a half hours meeting the Green Party today, as government formation efforts continue.
The two sides went into detail on a number of policy areas as they try to create a programme for government.
The Greens yesterday said their talks on policy would be broken into a number of strands - including housing, health and climate change.
Sinn Féin today said it will be meeting with the Social Democrats and others this week for 'detailed discussions' as they continue their efforts to form a left-wing government.
Speaking after today's meeting with the Greens, Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said they are being constructive in the face of "childish games" from other large parties.
He said: "We've always said we're open to engaging with everybody and anybody - Micheál Martin is obviously taking his own decision in relation to that.
"I think it's interesting that two parties that have lost the election are trying to come together now and do exactly what people voted out of office, and that was a Fianna Fáil / Fine Gael coalition."
Deputy Doherty said it's up to others whether they're going to talk to Sinn Féin - but added his party is just looking to "get on with the work".
He said carbon tax remains a difference between Sinn Féin and the Greens, saying it will need further discussion.
The two parties will now exchange papers over the coming days and will meet again early next week before the Dáil reconvenes.
Government formation
Any government will likely need to involve two of three largest parties at some capacity - but Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have both repeatedly ruled out working with Sinn Féin.
Micheál Martin met with Leo Varadkar this afternoon as he continues his own government formation efforts.
Deputy Martin insisted today his party has not been in government for nine years and said he wanted Green Party involvement in the next coalition.
Fine Gael has agreed to meet again with Fianna Fáil, but also said they are continuing to prepare to enter opposition.
Sinn Féin, meanwhile, is holding the second of its planned series of public meetings in Dublin tonight - with a 400 seat auditorium full as well as a 100 seat overflow room.
Mary Lou McDonald starts her speech with a crowd-pleasing, populist policy that will divide many.
She shouts “UP THE DUBS!” pic.twitter.com/jHEtc911dM
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) February 25, 2020
Hundreds of people attended the party's first event in Cork yesterday.
