Irish PM ready for opposition, leaves coalition option open

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said it was likely he would be the next leader of the opposition after government formation talks but that his Fine Gael party would be willing to help form a government if Sinn Fein fails to. Left-wing Irish nationalists Sinn Fein surprisingly secured the most votes at the weekend's election, marginally ahead of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, with weeks of negotiations likely needed to cobble together a majority in a fractured parliament.

"We were defeated in this election, there is no point in trying to dress that up in any way. It may have been a tight finish but that means people are saying to us that Fine Gael should go into opposition and we are absolutely willing to do that," Varadkar told reporters. "In terms of what may happen later on in the process, in the next couple of weeks, we are the party that founded the state and if we are needed to give the country political stability and good governance, then we are willing to talk to other parties but the in the first instance, the onus is on Sinn Fein."