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.

Ballot boxes were opened at 9 a.m. (0900GMT) at count centers across the country, kicking off long hours, or even days, of tallying the results. If the exit poll is borne out, that could be followed by days or weeks of negotiations to form a coalition government.

Ireland's main opposition Sinn Fein looked on course to win the most votes at a general election by the narrowest of margins on Friday, but its two main centre-right rivals will likely have enough seats to govern again without it,

The three main parties were deadlocked in an exit poll after voting finished on Friday. Counting starts on Saturday morning, but could take several days due to Ireland's system of proportional representation.

The polls have opened for the Irish general election. Voters are able to cast their ballot up until 22:00 local time to choose representatives to serve as Teachtaí Dála (TDs) in the Dáil, the lower house of the Oireachtas (Ireland's parliament).

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.

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.

Ireland is voting in a parliamentary election that will determine the country's next government; voters are selecting more than 170 lawmakers to sit in the Dail.

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.