Counting has begun in the Irish general election, as exit polls suggest a close contest between the three major parties.

The Irish General Election 2024 will be held this Friday, November 29 - here, an overview of the major political parties running candidates. What parties are running in the Irish General Election 2024?

The first meeting of the new Dáil is due to take place on the 18th of December, but the government will be officially formed whenever the Dáil passes a vote to install the new Taoiseach

Vote counting is underway in Ireland’s national election. An exit poll suggests the contest is a close-fought race among the country’s three largest political parties.

Irish political parties vying to lead the next government after a national election on Nov. 29 have published their manifestos, setting out their policies and how they will finance them.

After an exit poll that showed the main three parties effectively neck-and-neck in the Irish General Election, there is some way to go before the final picture emerges and the options for government formation crystalise.

Ireland is voting in a parliamentary election that will decide the next government. It also will show whether Ireland bucks the global trend of incumbents being ousted by disgruntled voters.

Counting is to get under way later on Saturday morning in the Irish general election, as exit polls suggest a close contest between the three major parties. Figures from Friday's exit poll show Sinn Féin slightly ahead of both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in first preference votes.

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.