Ireland's New Coalition Secures Comfortable Majority

Ireland's two major centre-right parties, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, have secured a new coalition government by a comfortable majority after partnering with independent lawmakers. This comes after they fell one seat short in a recent election. A draft programme will soon be shared with supporting lawmakers.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, historically center-right powerhouses in Irish politics, have successfully anchored a new coalition government. This achievement follows the parties' close call in the recent election, where they fell just short of the number needed to form a government.

The breakthrough was facilitated by aligning with nine independent lawmakers, pushing their numbers to a reassuring total of 95 seats. This provides them with a steady majority to govern effectively. Fianna Fail negotiator James Lawless confirmed the developments during an interview with RTE radio.

A draft governmental program is set to be distributed to the participating lawmakers, solidifying their commitment to the new coalition. This significant political maneuver ushers in a new chapter for Ireland's government framework.

(With inputs from agencies.)