Ireland has moved a step closer to forming a new government. Irish media says a deal was reached Tuesday between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group to form a government a month and a half after the election gave no party a majority of seats needed to control parliament.

An agreement has been reached which will pave the way for a new government to be formed in the Republic of Ireland. This follows the Irish general election in November, in which Fianna Fáil emerged as largest party.

Ireland’s centrist political parties struck a deal to form a coalition government, backed by a handful of unaligned lawmakers, after weeks of negotiations, according to the Irish Times.

By Padraic Halpin and Conor Humphries DUBLIN (Reuters) -Talks between Ireland's two historically dominant centre-right parties and independent lawmakers have reached an agreement that will give a new coalition government a "comfortable majority,