With no outright majority expected, party leaders are bracing for a ‘fascinating’ period of political negotiation

Irish voters have been casting their ballots on Friday with the incumbent taoiseach, Simon Harris, under pressure from the resurgent leftwing nationalist party Sinn Féin, the former political wing of the IRA, led by Mary Lou McDonald.

Counting in the general election will not begin until 9am on Saturday morning with closer-to-final results expected by the end of play on Sunday.