A new Fianna Fáil TD says he got a shock when comments he made in a private party meeting appeared in the national press.

Cathal Crowe, 37, the new TD for Clare told party leader Micheal Martin during a parliamentary party teleconference last week that he felt more thought should be given to the idea of a cross-party "unity government", floated by the Greens.

Mr Crowe admits that he did not think the comments would be broadcast outside the party, but will continue to speak his mind to his colleagues.

"As a new TD there are only so many mechanisms open to me to express my point of view," he said,

"You don't always expect what you say in a private meeting to end up in the press, but I'll always express it in the correct forum.

"What I said was in a private session, and it was leaked.

"I suppose it's a reality in politics and in such a large gathering of people, but I said what I said through the right channels.

"I joined Fianna Fáil to play a part, as someone who speaks up within the party, and who is a constructive contributor, I have done so and will continue to do so."

Burned from the experience, Mr Crowe refused to go further on the issue: "I have views on government formation, that I expressed to the party, and we're at a delicate time in negotiations."

Negotiations are still broad, he says, and a government is weeks away, with the likely recession caused by Covid-19 meaning more compromises on manifesto promises.

"I don't think things are a done deal by any means, there's many mechanisms to work through," he said.

"What's happening right now in terms of talks is just a preliminary stage, and there's several more weeks ahead.

"Each party will have to surrender and accommodate some of their manifesto, that's just a reality of coalition, and that can annoy a lot of people.

"I think what Covid-19 has done, it has really unravelled a lot of economic stability we had in the country, we're going to be in a very turbulent time economically.

"I think, pretty much all manifestos from February, are very much up for review at this stage, because those manifestos were framed in a very different economic climate, and we're facing recession."

Mr Crowe, who at one point was the youngest county councillor in the country at 21, says his politics are driven by his Republicanism, which is unsurprising after he hit national headlines previously as the first Mayor to refuse the invitation to the RIC commemoration.

"My view is that we should study and remember the RIC, that's important, but we shouldn't celebrate them, sometimes you have to stand resolute on an issue" he said.

"I was prepared to resign as mayor over it, it became trivial after that, but for the first 24 hours a lot of mayors were inactive and I was swimming deeper and deeper into choppy waters, I was very much alone in that at first."

Fianna Fáil is said to be split on whether or not refusing to speak to Sinn Fein, and a new coalition with Fine Gael are the right decisions for the party.

Mr Crowe says he has a "personal position" on whether Sinn Fein should be in government.

"When you join a party, you've an onus to show unity and our party position has been outlined, '' he said.

"I would have personal views which I expressed within our parliament party and to our leader.

"There are people in the party who are quite conservative, some are quite liberal, but that makes for interesting debate.

"I think I'm left of center, I have a republican outlook, it's the kind of republicanism that shone out of the Good Friday Agreement.

"I was impressed by Martin McGuinness and how he transitioned, but I was more impressed by Bertie Ahern."

The former teacher says although he's "only in the door", he will be aiming for a ministry within the cabinet in the future, with Education and Culture and Heritage on his list.

He hopes to play a role in the organisation of the state's centenary celebrations in the future.