Fianna Fail leader has Micheal Martin warned there is 'no magic plan B' if his party, Fine Gael and the Greens cannot agree to form a government.
The potential future Taoiseach added that he does not believe another election is necessary saying he believes people want a government in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Martin admitted the results of the last election back in February "were disappointing" for Fianna Fail as he previously promised the party would not enter a grand coalition with Fine Gael.
Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland he said: "We have to deal with the result of the election.
"Once you're elected to the Dail you have to work with others to develop a like minded Programme for Government that is sustainable and that is deliverable and deals with the circumstances of the time."
When asked what would happen should the deal be rejected Mr Martin admitted, "there is no magic plan B", adding "we are in unchartered territory if that happens."
An enormous amount of time has been put into the negotiations to get this programme for government together.
"I'm not sure where the room for more negotiation is."
Martin added that it would be his intention to lead Fianna Fail into the next general election should the parties fail to form a government but added he does not think another election is necessary.
"It's uncertain what will happen if this programme for government is not agreed.
"In the context of Covid-19 we do not need another election."
He admitted however an election is "always a possibility in a politically unstable situation."
Echoing the claims was Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar who this morning said the deal being rejected could spark a 'political crisis'.
Speaking to Newstalk he said: “I know there are some people in my party who are counselling me and advising me to have a Plan B on the shelf, but I decided not to that because we entered these coalition talks in good faith with Fianna Fáil and the Greens”
“The three parties together won 51% of the vote in the election," he said. "I know there is a party out there that thinks 24.5% is a majority – it’s not, 50 plus one is a majority and that is what we have.
“When I decided to enter those negotiations in good faith, I thought it would be an act of bad faith to have a Plan B on the shelf so we don’t have that and [rejection] will precipitate a political crisis quite frankly.
“If it is defeated, we will have to sit down over the weekend and see what the options are.”
