#Elections2019: Green Party leader refuses to rule out future coalition with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael

His comments on Newstalk come in the wake of MEP hopeful Saoirse McHugh saying she would quit the party if it jumped into bed with either of the big parties.

Mr Ryan said a decision on coalition would be made if a programme for government can be agreed with other parties.

“Every party increasingly in our system vote to agree internally to go into power or a Programme for Government. I think that is the point when you make a decision to do it or not. But there are a lot of my colleagues who would say Fine Gael don't get it or Fianna Fail don't get it,” he said.

Speaking to the Sunday Business Post, Ms McHugh said she would quit the party if it went into coalition with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

She said she would leave the Green Party if it opted to go into coalition with either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil after the next general election.

“I think Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael don’t believe in the widescale system change that’s needed, and I think they would do untold damage to the environmental movement,” she said.

As it stands, they have shown repeatedly with the groups they sit within Europe that they would prefer individual action over system change and we do need system change.

Responding to internal Green Party divisions, Former Minister Lucinda Creighton branded Ms McHugh's comments as “very naive” and premature as it looks increasingly like she may miss out on the last seat.

Commenting on the relatively poor showing by Fine Gael in Dublin, Ms Creighton hit out at her former constituency colleague and rival, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy over his controversial co-living proposal.

Ms Creighton said comments by Mr Murphy that young people ought to “be excited” by it were ill-judged.