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.

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,