By Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner Political Editor

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has said it will be difficult to form a stable government without “some sort of arrangement” between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Mr Varadkar said the talks between Fine Gael, the Green Party and a number of independents were going “reasonably well”.

Asked by reporters if he felt it was inevitable that Fine Gael would have to contact Fianna Fáil, Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t think it’s inevitable, but I do think it will be difficult to form a stable government without some sort of arrangement between the two large parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael”.

The Dublin West TD said: “The reason why we need a stable government, of course, is a government that is unstable or may collapse at any time isn’t really going to be able to deal with the problems that people face, whether it’s economic issues or social issues such as health and housing, for example”.

“But at the moment, we are engaged in talks with people who actually want to be in government, Independents and the Greens and we’re going to see how far that can go,” he said.

Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny will not contact Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin until he concludes talks with Independent TDs.

But sources within the Independents have voiced their dissatisfaction as to how the meetings to date with Mr Kenny have gone.

At a meeting with the Independents TDs today in Government Buildings, Mr Kenny said he wants his party’s talks with Independents to conclude before he makes contact with Mr Martin.

Mr Kenny told the meeting he wants to agree a minority coalition deal before contacting Fianna Fáil leader Micheàl Martin.

At the beginning of the talks, Mr Kenny opened the round table talks with 15 Independents and the Green Party, by making his remarks.

Fine Gael feels this would allow him to negotiate with Mr Martin from an “agreed position” with Independents and the Greens.

Speaking today on his way into the meeting, Minister of State Simon Harris said it was a matter for the Taoiseach when contact would be made with the Fianna Fáil leader.

“The Taoiseach has made it clear that at some point it will be necessary for whoever proposes to form a Government to talk to the people on the opposition. It obviously makes sense that you would talk to the people who want to be in that Government with you,” he said.

However, Mr Harris said sufficient progress must be made first with the Independent TDs willing to support a Fine Gael minority Government.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald rejected suggestions that Fine Gael is deliberately slowing the process down.

Ms Fitzgerald described the talks as a “complex process” and stressed that Fine Gael was determined to form a Government without any undue delay.

“It is important we respect the vote of the people and that is what we are doing by engaging very seriously in a very genuine way with the Independents who have chosen to come in here today,” she said.

In his remarks, Mr Varadkar revealed the extent of the complexity of the talks which are ongoing.

“The soonest we can have a government is when the Dáil meets on Wednesday 6th April,” he said.

“So we are dealing with some different topics today – housing this morning, rural development at the moment moving on to mental health and some other issues. There’s good engagement,” he added.

“There’s very good debates happening, very good talking. A lot of common ground, but it’s a very diverse group . . . involving two parties, Fine Gael and the Greens but also independents of all hues - urban, rural, left, right and centre. So I don’t think it’s something that can be concluded quickly, but could potentially be concluded by next week,” Mr Varadkar said.

Mr Varadkar was speaking in Dublin at the launch of the Irish Kidney Association’s Organ Donor Awareness Week, which runs from April 2 to 9.

Speaking on his way into the talks, Independent TD Micheal Healy Rae said it was disgraceful the two main parties had not spoken yet. He said there was a fear Independent deputies were being used by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.

“We do not like being used as leverage in that way,” said Deputy Healy Rae.

The meeting will focus on discussing mental health and rural affairs. However the two sides will also discuss a working paper on housing which Fine Gael hope will form the basis for a Programme for Government.