Election 2007: Parties eye coalition partners

Updated: 23:09, Tuesday, 15 May 2007

The Progressive Democrats have ruled out a coalition deal including Labour after the election.

1 of 3Liz O'Donnell - Rules out Labour
Liz O'Donnell - Rules out Labour
2 of 3Trevor Sargent - Leaning towards alternative government
Trevor Sargent - Leaning towards alternative government
3 of 3Sinn Féin - Positive reaction
Sinn Féin - Positive reaction

The party's deputy leader, Liz O'Donnell, said she could not see the PDs doing serious business with the Labour Party - adding that the feeling appeared to be mutual.

She said the party's preference was to continue the coalition with Fianna Fáil, but if the figures did not fall that way, it would be open to negotiations with any party that shared its perspectives, although she ruled Labour out of that.

Earlier, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent said that based on the numbers it is now clear that Fianna Fáil and his party cannot form a government, but warned he cannot do a deal with Enda Kenny if the opposition leader can only offer what he called 'Fianna Fáil light'.

Mr Sargent said that any coalition which his party was a member of would have to tackle climate change, clean up politics, and improve the education system. 

He also insisted that the link between developers and political parties would have to be broken.

Asked about the possibility of a voting arrangement with other parties, Mr Sargent said that Green Party supporters knew the best way of changing the government was to vote Green first and then vote for the other parties.

And Sinn Féin, the other party likely to have a sizeable group of TDs in the next Dáil, was campaigning in Dublin West today.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said his party was getting a very positive response on the doorsteps, and he sensed that voters wanted change.

Mr Adams said he would encourage his supporters to transfer their votes to any other party, except the Progressive Democrats.

The Sinn Féin President said 'nobody in their right minds would vote for the PDs'.

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