Irish government extension talks need few more weeks - Deputy PM

FILE PHOTO: Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, speaks at a 'Getting Ireland Brexit Ready' workshop at the Convention Centre in Dublin, Ireland October 25, 2018. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's Fine Gael party and the main opposition backing its minority government will need to negotiate for a few more weeks before they decide whether to extend their expiring cooperation deal, Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said on Friday.

Fine Gael has ruled since 2016 through a "confidence and supply" deal with its main rival, Fianna Fail, which agreed to abstain from opposition-driven votes over the course of three annual budgets, the last of which was presented last month.