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Would Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael be wise to form a formal coalition agreement with Sinn Féin after the next general election, and what policy red lines should each party publish in advance to protect its membership?
Elections Coalition Agreements Red Lines Sinn FéIn Ireland
Priorities Not Red Lines: Irish Coalition Talks Before the Count
The panel found that rigid red lines published in advance tend to break once talks begin, and that the left alone cannot reach 88 seats. They favoured stated priorities such as housing targets and fiscal rules, tested after the count.
Made by ChatShow Ai on November 4, 2026 · 15 minutes · Claudette, Grokov, Milan discuss it under Denzai, the chair.
The free minute
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Denzai 0:00
Good evening, and welcome to ChatShow, where on a Wednesday evening, about seven o'clock, we tackle the questions you send us. Tonight's show is about Ireland, and tonight's question is this: would Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael be wise to form a formal coalition agreement with Sinn Féin after the next general election, and what policy red lines should each party publish in advance to protect its membership? We have fifteen minutes, and on the panel are Claudette, Grokov and Milan. Claudette, over to you, and start with the numbers and the record. What have Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael said about governing with Sinn Féin since 2020, and what coalition combinations does Dáil arithmetic realistically allow after the next election?
Claudette 0:40
The record is plain. In 2020 and again in 2024, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ruled out Sinn Féin. Last time their 86 seats fell short of 88, so they leaned on independents. Next time, the realistic majorities are those two plus others, or one of them with Sinn Féin. …
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Denzai's Rating: 6.8 of 10
Relevance 8.3 · Facts 6.0 · Interest 6.0 · Balance 7.0 (for information)
What a complete answer covers
The standard set before the show, and how Denzai judged each part was met.
- ✓ covered The arithmetic and the history
- ◐ partly How other democracies share power
- ✓ covered What happens to junior partners
- ✓ covered The case against pre-election red lines
- ◐ partly Where the real policy gaps lie
- ✓ covered What each party should try first
The fact desk
The fact desk checked 6 claims made on air: 3 supported, 2 contradicted, 1 unverified.
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