Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman has said that after the general election, he will try and negotiate policy positions with the Labour Party and the Social Democrats before Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil in government formation talks.
Speaking at his party’s pre-Dáil think-in, he said: "Engaging with parties with like-minded positions to us on supporting families, on supporting children gives us the strongest position to get policies implemented.
"So, I will talk initially to parties that are close to us in terms of policy, but I remain open to talking and working with all parties to negotiate a programme for government, but it has to be one centred on Green policies."
Asked if this stand might annoy his coalition partners, Mr O'Gorman said that his party "will always ultimately stand and advance our policies and our political objectives".
He also said that as the election draws nearer, all parties will be setting out their political visions.
Speaking to journalists in the Radisson Blu hotel on Golden Lane in Dublin, where the one-day event is taking place, he said the current Government has been a good one.
But, he said, his party was made the "bogeyman" by political opponents during the local and European elections and blamed for "a whole range of issues".
The Green Party leader said political commentators opined they were going to be wiped out, yet they topped the poll in some areas and he expects to win extra seats in the general election.
He added: "We’re going into this election to hold our seats and grow our seats.
"We know that with more Greens elected we can deliver more in future governments."
Mr O’Gorman also stated he would like to see the Government run full term, but it is a matter for the Taoiseach.
However, he added that he "would expect to be consulted on a final date".
Green Party members gather at think-in
With 12 TDs, six of whom are senior or junior ministers and a Minister of State who is a senator, the party has played a pivotal role in the coalition since its inception.
The party has three senior ministers in the Cabinet, leader and Minister for Children and Equality Roderic O'Gorman, Minister for Environment Climate and Transport Eamon Ryan and Minister for Tourism, Culture and the Arts Catherine Martin.
The three are joined by Senator Pippa Hackett who also sits at the Cabinet as the party's "super junior" Minister of State.
Keeping its seats may prove challenging however, if the pattern seen in the local and European elections follows through to the General Election.
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The Green Party lost 26 seats in the local elections, more than half it held previously, and its two MEPs also failed to get re-elected, leaving the party without a voice in Europe.
Nevertheless, the party remains optimistic its message of sustainable living, environmental responsibility and equality will once again resonate with voters, according to a senior source.
"It is a matter of record that the party's experience last time was that support increased massively during the campaign as people thought about the issues. We hope to see the same thing happen again."
With the exception of the former leader, Mr Ryan, who is resigning from politics at the next election, the rest of the current TDs and senators will contest for Dáil seats whenever the election is called.
The party is selecting its candidates for the General Election and intends to compete in all 43 constituencies.
Land hoarding tax 'has to go ahead' in budget - O'Gorman
Earlier, Mr O'Gorman said the tax on residential zoned land must be implemented in Budget 2025.
The minister said he was "frustrated" about political briefings on the land hoarding tax. However, he added that there was a "solution being worked on" now.
He told RTÉ's Morning Ireland: "We want to make it very clear that that tax has to go ahead in this year's budget.
"If we are serious about tackling the housing crisis, we need to use every tool available to us."
The minister said people who are sitting on land that could be used for housing should be financially penalised.
Mr O'Gorman said he believed the issue can be addressed by the Government.
The Government is a coherent one that has lasted for four years, he said.
"But I will not pretend there are not tensions in a Government where there are three different parties with different agendas," he said.
However, by and large, we have been able to deal with them, Mr O'Gorman added.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he also stated that the Green Party is ready for an election when it comes but that he would like to see the Government run its full term because there are important pieces of legislation that he would like to be passed.
He said the majority of their selections are completed, adding that his party will focus on policy measures for their manifesto during the think-in.
Mr O'Gorman said there have been no informal discussions about a potential election date and the Government’s focus has been on the budget and the legislative programme for the upcoming term since it returned from the summer recess.
He said the Green Party has delivered on its promise to halve the cost of childcare and the next step must be the commencement of a publicly funded childcare model.
Mr O'Gorman said he has put forward budget proposals, including a boost payment for new parents and extending free public transport to children under the age of nine.
The green leader said there are between 300 - 350 international protection applications each week.
This puts a strain on the system, he said, adding that the new accommodation strategy is working.
The Minister for Integration added that people will be accommodated in Thornton Hall in north county Dublin by the end of this month.
