Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath has said it is not tenable that a caretaker government remain in place for any prolonged period of time.

Speaking in Cork to RTÉ News, Mr McGrath said there are pressing issues in the health service and housing that need to be addressed.

He added that there are growing concerns on the international front on the impact a caretaker government would have on Ireland’s economy.

"We have to have a government in place with authority and the capacity to address the issues of concern to the Irish people," he said.

Asked about Minister for Health Leo Varadkar's comments this morning on RTÉ Radio that Fianna Fáil is behaving as if it had a divine right to govern, Mr McGrath said: "I utterly reject what Leo Varadkar has said and he clearly has still to come to terms with the elections."

He added the Irish people do not want the parties throwing grenades at each other.

On the issue Mr Varadkar raised about the lack of trust between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, he said they should be focused on getting a government rather than throwing missiles, saying "throwing insults at each other is not solving problems".

Mr McGrath said each party and independent elected has an obligation to the people.

He believes that after the Dáil returns next Thursday the true business of forming a new government will begin.

Asked about a realistic view of the shape of a new government he said: "I don't know."

He also confirmed that senior people in Fianna Fáil were talking to others behind the scenes about a new government.

He added that he does not believe a new election would change anything.

Meanwhile, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton has said he does not believe Micheál Martin will get a majority in the house for the role as Taoiseach. He added that he believed that Enda Kenny will get more votes.

Speaking on RTÉ's Six One News, Mr Bruton said Fine Gael is talking to a number of different groups in connection with the creation of a new government, but, at the moment, the party will not be talking to Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil or the Anti-Austerity Alliance. 

Minister Bruton said that Fine Gael is open to new ideas that could be built into a programme for government and acknowledged there would be compromises.

He said Fine Gael is not going to change its position on Irish Water.