After the votes are counted and the results calculated – common goals will be negotiated and a coalition formed. The shape of the next Irish government is set to be almost the same as the last one. But it will nonetheless take some weeks for the parties to agree a deal which will culminate with ministers taking office.

Sinn Féin, the former political arm of the IRA, is hoping Ireland's 2024 election will bring it to power for the first time ever.

The Republic of Ireland elects its government using a system of proportional representation known as the single transferable vote. Voters will have the opportunity to rank candidates in their constituency in order of preference, marking their favourite with a number one, a number two beside their next choice and so on.

Ireland has proved a partial exception to the anti-incumbent mood in elections around the world. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, which have dominated Irish politics for a century, remain in the driving seat, though their combined share of the vote has declined to just over 40%.

Vote counting got underway Saturday in Ireland’s national election after an exit poll suggested the contest is a close-fought race among the country’s three largest political parties. Ballot boxes were opened at 9 a.

Join Chris Buckler and Elaine McGee for live coverage of the race for the Dáil.

People in Ireland are going to the polls Friday, as the country holds a general election to fill 174 seats in the Dail Eireann or lower house, the principal chamber of the country's parliament, the Oireachtas.