EXCLUSIVE-Ireland's Fianna Fail to seek to form government without Sinn Fein

Ireland's center-right Fianna Fail party will seek to form a government that does not include left-wing nationalists Sinn Fein, a senior member of the party said on Thursday following a meeting of the party's lawmakers.

"We gave the party leader license to speak to whoever he needs to speak to, with the exception of a Sinn Fein," senior Fianna Fail lawmaker Niall Collins told Reuters.

Two of the three largest parties will need to cooperate to form a government, with Fianna Fail on 38 seats, Sinn Fein on 37 and center-right Fine Gael on 35 in the 160-seat parliament, while Fine Gael has already ruled out a deal with Sinn Fein.