Sinn Féin says it is ready to step in if members of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or the Greens reject their programme for government this week.

Postal voting on the government deal is continuing this afternoon, with all three parties due to announce a result on Friday.

The result is very much in the balance, with the Green Party needing a two-thirds majority to get it over the line.

Meanwhile, the leaders of Fine Gael leader and Fianna Fáil said rejection of the deal would spark a “political crisis.”

Speaking this morning, Sinn Féin finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty said his party was ready to talk to all parties about forming a government.

“At this stage Fianna Fáil won’t even talk to us,” he said. “Fine Gael won’t even talk to us; never mind talk about us being in government, so let’s take it step by step.

“We are very clear that if this programme for government is rejected by the membership, we will be stepping in. We will be lifting the phone first and foremost to the parties that have a change mandate.

“We know the parties. They are the Social Democrats, the Labour Party, the Green Party, People Before Profit and then a range of independents.”

He said the first calls would be made to parties that have “a mandate for change” but said Sinn Féin was also “open to engaging with all parties.”

In an exclusive interview with Newstalk this morning, Leo Varadkar warned his party members that rejection could push Fianna Fáil into government with Sinn Féin within weeks.

On Newstalk Breakfast meanwhile, Micheál Martin said he has ‘no mandate’ to talk to Sinn Féin but refused to rule out the idea entirely.

All three parties are due to announce the results of their ballots at the same time on Friday.

If the deal is accepted, a special sitting of the Dáil will get underway at 10:30am on Saturday.

There will be a vote to elect Micheál Martin as Taoiseach around noon – with a second sitting scheduled for 4:30 pm to elect a new Cabinet of ministers.