Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has rekindled the prospect of a Fianna Fáil/Green Party coalition, describing recent negotiations between the parties as "constructive and sincere".
Mr Ahern said the Green Party had brought forward some "good ideas" in the area of climate change in the talks which ended on Friday without a deal.
In an article in today's Sunday Independent, Mr Ahern also insisted the Green Party's positions on transport, health and education were "not incompatible" with those of Fianna Fáil.
However Mr Ahern said that "further discussion would be required for the two parties to reach a position where they could be both assured that the mix of policies would be politically sustainable, economically feasible and in the national interest".
This has fuelled speculation that Mr Ahern may make direct contact with Green Party leader Trevor Sargent in an attempt to agree a programme for government.
Following the breakdown of talks on Friday, Mr Sargent insisted that no avenue leading to the party's involvement in any future coalition government had been closed off.
"We are not giving up now. The point is we have taken this as far as we can and the ball is now in the hands of others. Our door is open to all who wish to discuss the formation of a sustainable and stable government," he said.
With just four days to go before the first meeting of the 30th Dáil, the shape of the next government remains unclear.
On Fridat the former Labour leader, Ruairí Quinn, appeared to raise the prospect of a deal between his party and Fianna Fáil if a government is not elected next Thursday.
Mr Quinn refused to rule himself out as a potential ceann comhairle. "That's a very interesting proposition. It's not for me to speculate on. I'm not aware of any such proposal."
Fianna Fáil is also understood to have held negotiations with the Progressive Democrats and four independent TDs on a possible programme for government.