Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is set to become Ireland’s next premier as a deal was struck to form a new coalition government.
The position of Taoiseach will be rotated under the terms of the historic draft program for government agreed by Mr Martin, current Irish premier and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan.
Mr Martin is set to occupy the post until December 2022.
The three leaders have finalized the deal to form a coalition government more than four months on from February’s inconclusive general election.
The draft deal, which comes after two months of negotiations between the parties, will now have to be endorsed by their parliamentary teams, before being put to their respective memberships for approval.
It was presented to the parliamentary parties on Monday evening, however the outcome of votes among the wider memberships are not expected to be known until the end of next week.
Mr Martin said his parliamentary party colleagues formally endorsed the draft program.
He said while some voiced concerns, the “vast majority” were supportive.
“TDs and Senators want to go out there now and engage with the members, about the strength of this document, and to get it passed and a government formed,” he said.
The Green Party’s parliamentary party also backed the draft program, by nine votes in favor with three abstentions.
In a statement the party said it will “now be referred to the party membership for ratification”.
The draft program for government includes a national recovery plan to focus on repairing the economic damage sustained by the coronavirus pandemic.
The agreed text says Ireland is at a “defining moment”.
“We face urgent challenges which touch every community,” reads the document.
“In the space of a few short months our world has turned upside down.
“Lives have been lost and hearts broken, and our lives and livelihoods have been changed utterly. In striving together against something which threatens us all, we have shown we can surprise ourselves – adapting quickly, building new alliances and collaborating in ways we never expected.
“All to realize a common purpose: our common future.
“Covid-19 has presented the global community with a terrible set of challenges to add to the ongoing climate and biodiversity emergency.
“In this Program for Government we are asserting our ambition to meet these challenges, repair the damage that has been inflicted by the pandemic, and take the renewed spirit arising from these challenging times and translate it into action.”
Mr Varadkar confirmed on Monday morning that the position of Taoiseach would be rotated and he indicated Mr Martin would be the first incumbent.
He exits the office of taoiseach on a high, according to an Ipsos MRBI opinion poll which gave Mr Varadkar a 75% approval rating and his government a 72% rating.