Sinn Féin has said it is confident of reaching agreement with Labour, and possibly with Fine Gael, over speaking rights in the new Dáil.
Following a meeting of the party's TDs and Senator, Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said his party had been talking to both of the other Opposition parties about speaking time.
He said Sinn Féin had a 'particular affinity' with Labour on social and economic issues and had had no difficulty in agreeing a voting pact with it in the Seanad election.
In the last Dáil, Sinn Féin secured speaking rights through its membership of a Technical Group with the Greens and Independents.
But now, with the Greens in Government and the Independents, apart from Tony Gregory, either defeated or supporting the coalition, Sinn Féin's four TDs will have no right to speaking time.
At their two-day meeting, the party also agreed to undertake a recruitment drive throughout the Republic in an effort to address organisational weaknesses.
