'Water charges as you know them are gone'

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have edged closer to agreeing a government formation deal in a bid to avoid a snap election, after the government party was forced into a major water charges climbdown, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith, Juno McEnroe, Daniel McConnell and Elaine Loughlin.

With the threat of a second election looming, acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny's party on Tuesday night made a fresh concession to Fianna Fáil, offering the effective suspension of water charges for up to 18 months.