Teams from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are set to meet later today to discuss arrangements for a minority government.

An arrangement between the two parties is needed if any stable government is to be formed.

Six weeks after the result of the General Election became clear, today Ireland will move closer to finding out whether a second election will be needed in order to return a government.

Talks with various groups of independents are still ongoing, but no matter which of the two parties those independents decide to support, any Government will need an understanding between the 50 TDs of Fine Gael, and the 43 of Fianna Fáil.

That means any talks - which, as of last night, had not been confirmed for today - will need to touch on areas like USC and water charges, two areas on which there remains a distance between the two.

If some kind of agreement can be found on those areas, it will clear the way for independents to start making decisions about which of the two parties they will support in Government.

However, if there is no deal - and therefore, no prospect of a Government lasting the distance - it might not be long before Ireland goes back to the polls.