Labour leader Ivana Bacik has hailed the recent success of the party but said that the priority is to engage with smaller left-wing parties first, as parliamentary meetings continue in Leinster House today.
“My priority, as I’ve said consistently, is to engage with like-minded parties and forge that common platform,” said Bacik outside Leinster House this morning.
The Labour Party leader said she is most hopeful for a left-wing bloc to enter the 34th Dáil.
The bloc would include Labour, the Social Democrats, and the Green Party. “We’ve always been very serious about going into government to deliver change. We don’t stand on the sidelines, we don’t believe in simply shouting from opposition benches,” said Bacik.
This comes as Micheál Martin said yesterday that Fianna Fáil has already had conversations with Independent TDs on the formation of a coalition government.
“But we’ve also been clear that we don’t go [into] government just to make up numbers. We only go in if we’re convinced we can deliver the radical change that has been set out in our program change,” Bacik told The College View.
Meanwhile, Bacik also said that the Labour Party has a robust mandate that will be discussed in the coming days. She cited climate action, housing, childcare, healthcare and disability services as the reasons for a left-wing bloc composed of Labour, Greens and Social Democrats.
“We need an active state that’s at a centre-level position, that has a social and democratic policy, and a program for change is best delivered through strength in numbers, through collective platforms,” said Bacik. “So that is my absolute priority,” she added.
The Labour leader is due to meet Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman this afternoon.
The Green Party saw a significant loss over the weekend, with only one out of 12 TDs elected. Despite this, Bacik said she intends to discuss future plans for collective action in the Dáil with O’Gorman.
“The approach we must prioritise is building that common platform, and you’ve seen a clear act for that message of constructive change. It went through Dublin Central when Marie Sherlock held up the threat of Gerry Hutch. We’re really excited about developing that idea and the very serious proposition of the common platform across the centre-left and the green movement,” said Bacik.
The Labour Party is set to meet the Social Democrats tomorrow, while Sinn Féin have held meetings with the Social Democrats today.
Bacik confirmed she had spoken to leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, in order to inform all three parties of her plans to meet with the proposed left-wing bloc first.
No comment was made on negotiation rumours that Labour could enter a coalition without the Social Democrats.
Although previous Social Democrats leader Róisín Shortall told The College View on Monday that the party has been focused on implementing red-line policies. “We’re not operating as a bloc,” said Shortall.