Late Tuesday afternoon, Ireland's two.......>

IRELAND: Late Tuesday afternoon, Ireland's two historically dominant parties,

Fianna Fail (FF) and Fine Gael (FG), put forward a framework agreement for a

coalition gov't that would keep the left-wing nationalist Sinn Fein out of

power.

- The position of taoiseach (PM) would rotate between the leaders of the two

parties.

- FF leader Micheal Martin and FG leader and caretaker Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

will need support from one or more of the Greens/Social Democrats/independents

to gain a majority in the Dail Eireann. 

- Both parties will have to approve the coalition deal at special conferences.

- Would be the first time the two parties have formed a formal coalition. In the

previous gov't, FF supported FG in a confidence-and-supply agreement.

- Party leaderships seeking to officially form a gov't at a special session of

parl't on April 23.