The outgoing government was led by the two parties that have dominated Irish politics for the past century: Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. They have similar policies, but are longtime rivals with origins on opposing sides of Ireland’s 1920s civil war. After the 2020 election ended in a virtual dead heat, they formed a coalition.

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 Taoiseach has said he expects a “fascinating couple of days” after he cast his vote in the General Election minutes after polling stations opened. Simon Harris said that where transfer votes would go – a key part of Ireland’s proportional representation with a single transferrable vote system (PR-STV) – would decide the make-up and stability of the next government.

Counting is under way after millions of people across Ireland voted in the 2024 General Election. The polls opened at 7am and closed at 10pm, with a total of 174 seats to be filled – more than ever before. An exit poll released on Friday night showed Sinn Fein and Fine Gael virtually tied, making the likely result too close to call.

Irish Prime Minister and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, center, accompanied by his wife Caoimhe and children Cillian and Saoirse, casts his vote at Delgany National School, County Wicklow, as voters go to the polls for the 2024 General Election in Ireland, Friday Nov. 29, 2024. (Niall Carson/PA via AP)

The two ruling center-right parties and the opposition Sinn Fein took equal shares of the vote, according to an exit poll. Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris had called for snap polls earlier this month.

Voting got under way in Ireland on Friday in a  general election in which the two centre-right coalition partners are neck-and-neck with opposition party Sinn Fein after a campaign marked by rancour over housing and cost-of-living crises.

The exit poll suggested voters’ support is split widely among the three big parties — Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein — as well as several smaller parties and an assortment of independents

Voters head to the polls this morning for a General Election which will set the political landscape in Ireland for the next five years.

The polls are set to open for the Irish general election. Polling stations will be open between 07:00 and 22:00 local time on Friday to allow voters to choose representatives to serve as Teachtaí Dála (TDs) in the Dáil,

The three largest parties were virtually neck-and-neck heading into the vote, according to the latest opinion poll.