NTMA officials brief party negotiation teams

Senior officials from the National Treasury Management Agency are briefing the Fine Gael and Labour Party negotiation teams, it emerged today.

Coalition talks between the parties are continuing for a second day at Government Buildings in Dublin.

Banking, jobs, the economy and tackling the Exchequer deficit are the main issues behind discussed by the the Fine Gael and Labour delegations locked in coalition talks.

Officials from the Central Bank and Department of Finance were on hand yesterday to provide information to the negotiators, while today senior NTMA staff are now giving their perspective.

Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore met face to face for a third time since the conclusion of the election this morning as the weekend deadline of agreeing a deal draws closer.

Fine Gael's Michael Noonan says says the talks are progressing well, but Labour's Roisín Shorthall said that a deal between the parities is far from a foregone conclusion.

Meanwhile, the make-up of the 31st Dáil is now official.

Out of the 166 seats, Fine Gael won 76, Labour 37, Fianna Fail 20, Sinn Féin won 14 while Independents and others have 19.