Fianna Fáil and the Green Party will continue talks tomorrow to discuss the possible formation of a new government after discussions today were described as "cordial and constructive".
Talks took place for several hours at Government Buildings in Dublin. Afterwards, both Green Party chairman John Gormley and Fianna Fáil's Seamus Brennan described the discussions as "cordial and constructive" but said nothing had yet been agreed.
Mr Gormley said the Greens were not ruling out talks with any party.
Speaking to reporters as the Green Party delegation entered Government Buildings this morning, the party chairman said the talks are exploratory in nature, but with the aim of negotiating a coalition government with stability and sustainability at its core.
Green Party leader Trevor Sargent is not attending the talks. He has indicated he will step down as leader rather than lead the party into government with Fianna Fáil. He has not, however, ruled out a cabinet post in any such coalition.
In a statement yesterday, the Green Party said it would enter the talks "in good faith and in the sincere hope that we can bring about a stable government and a sustainable future for this country". It said that in spite of its best efforts, the prospects for an alternative coalition "look remote".
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Green Party, at its meeting yesterday, endorsed the recommendation of Mr Sargent to enter exploratory talks with Fianna Fáil following extensive communications with members of the party throughout the country.
A deal with the Green Party, which has six TDs in the incoming 30th Dáil, would give Bertie Ahern, as Taoiseach, 84 votes including Fianna Fáil's 78 seats. It is expected that the two Progressive Democrat TDs and a number of independents will also support Bertie Ahern's election as taoiseach and a government headed by him.
Fianna Fáil said it had been informed by the Green Party that policy and discussion documents exchanged last week "contain sufficient common policy objectives to allow for formal talks to commence between both sides as to the possible formation of a coalition government".
"Fianna Fáil is of a similar view. Talks, therefore, have now been arranged between delegations from both parties, beginning tomorrow morning and continuing, it is expected, for a number of days," the party said in a statement.
The Fianna Fáil delegation includes ministers Brian Cowen, Seamus Brennan and Noel Dempsey. The Green Party delegation will be made up of party chairman John Gormley, former Cork South Central TD Dan Boyle and Dónall Geoghegan, the party's general secretary.
The talks opened at 11am at Government Buildings in Dublin and are expected to continue until at least Wednesday.