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Ireland Agrees New Government After Nine Weeks

Ireland Agrees New Government After Nine Weeks

Nine weeks after Ireland's general election, the two largest parties have reached agreement on the formation of a minority government.

Fianna Fail will facilitate the formation of a Fine Gael administration and support it for the next three years after securing significant compromises.

Enda Kenny is now poised to become the first Fine Gael leader in history to serve two consecutive terms as Prime Minister.

He is expected to meet with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin over the weekend before parliament reconvenes in Dublin next Wednesday.

The breakthrough came when Fine Gael agreed to the suspension of controversial water charges, the dominant issue of the election campaign.

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An independent commission is to be appointed to examine the issues of funding and conservation in relation to water.

Its recommendations will be put to a parliamentary committee which will bring its own proposals before parliament for a vote.

In statements released this evening, the two parties said: "Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have reached a political agreement to facilitate a Fine Gael-led minority government.

"Both party leaders are now being briefed, extensive drafting has to be done and then both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will hold separate parliamentary party meetings to outline the details of the confidence and supply arrangement."

The Fine Gael-led minority government is expected to include a number of independent members of parliament.

Fianna Fail were the big winners in the election on 26 February, recording an unexpected recovery from the party's near collapse in 2011.

There was speculation that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail - who were on opposite sides during Ireland's civil war - may form a grand coalition.

Instead, Fianna Fail has agreed to facilitate the formation of a minority government and avoid another general election.