Government talks continue as poll shows lack of support for Lowry’s inclusion

Government formation talks continued on Sunday following Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s engagement with independents.

Party figures are hoping to have a draft agreement ready by midweek, ahead of the process of ratifying the deal with their respective memberships.

However, having everything agreed before the return of the Dail on January 22 is considered “tight”.

A Sunday Independent Ireland Thinks poll showed that most respondents were at least somewhat satisfied with a Government consisting of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and regional independents.

Twenty-three percent were very satisfied, 32% were somewhat satisfied, 15% were somewhat unsatisfied while 29% were very unsatisfied with that composition.

However, one potential headache for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail is the decision of the Regional Independent Group to include Michael Lowry in its negotiating bloc.

Most respondents to the poll said Fianna Fail and Fine Gael should not be dealing with the independent TD.

Last year, Mr Lowry was interviewed by gardai from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) who are investigating matters related to the Moriarty Tribunal.

The tribunal was set up in 1997 to examine payments made to former taoiseach Charles Haughey and Mr Lowry.

In 2011, it found that Mr Lowry, a former Fine Gael TD, helped businessman Denis O’Brien secure the State’s second mobile phone licence in 1995.

The tribunal also criticised his behaviour as “profoundly corrupt”.

Recently, gardai sent a file relating to its investigations around the findings of the tribunal to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Lowry has maintained that there was no wrongdoing in the awarding of the phone licence.

On the question of whether Fine Gael and Fianna Fail should be dealing with Mr Lowry, 63% of respondents to the poll said no while 24% said yes.