Leo Varadkar has said he expects to be leader of the opposition when the new Dáil finally meets.
Sinn Féin will kick off its meetings other parties today as it tries to form a new government, without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
Party leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she will try to build a left-wing coalition before considering working with either of the former main parties.
She is meeting with People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett and the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan this afternoon.
Fine Gael has repeatedly ruled out working with Sinn Féin and this morning, party leader Leo Varadkar said he is preparing for a spell in opposition.
Leo Varadkar says he hasn’t spoken to any other parties about government formation and thinks that after these talks he’ll most likely be leader of the opposition #GE2020 pic.twitter.com/pyYduHPRoU
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) February 12, 2020
He said he will talk to other parties if the numbers are needed to provide a stable government.
“We will stand by the State and the Republic and if we are needed in order to give the country political stability and good governance then we stand ready to do that,” he said.
“But I think, in the first instance, the onus is on Sinn Féin as the lead party to honour the promises it made to the Irish people to form a government, led by them, to get a socialist republican programme of government through the Dáil and it is their duty now to do that.”
He said he would use any spell in opposition to "modernise and reform my party."
Who’s that coming down the plinth it’s the Soc Dems, IT’S THE SOC DEMS pic.twitter.com/jy5SLoZsSp
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) February 12, 2020
During the campaign, Fianna Fáil said it would not work with Sinn Féin; however, it remains to be seen whether that position has softened – with party membership split on the best way to move things forward.
Even if Sinn Féin were to bring the Greens, Labour, the Social Democrats and Solidarity People Before Profit on-side, they would still only have 66 seats.
With the Ceann Comhairle traditionally voting with the Government where votes are tied, they would need to bring a minimum of 14 independents on-side to pass anything.
Both Labour and the Social Democrats are holding their first post-election Parliamentary Party meetings this afternoon.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin is expected to say that his party has no mandate to go into government with anyone, while, the Social Democrats will confirm they are open to talking to everyone.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Sinn Féin negotiator Pearse Doherty said any formation talks would involve "give and take" from all parties.
