Vote counts begin across the country following extraordinary exit poll

Some day for it, anyway.

Vote counts have begun in centres across the country following yesterday's General Election - and a tumultuous exit poll that saw a three-way tie in popularity. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin all received 22 percent of first preference votes in the Ipsos MRBI's exit poll last night. The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus 1.3 percent. Ballot boxes were opened this morning at 9am with counting expected to continue for the next few days. Yesterday's exit poll also detailed first preference support for Independent candidates and Others at just over 14 percent, Green Party at almost 8 percent, and Labour at over 4 percent. The full results of the poll were as follows:

• Fine Gael: 22.4 percent
• Sinn Féin: 22.3 percent
• Fianna Fáil: 22.2 percent
• Independents/others: 14.5 percent
• Green Party: 7.9 percent
• Labour: 4.6 percent
• Social Democrats: 3.4 percent
• Solidarity/People Before Profit: 2.8 percent

If the results of the poll are accurate, it is likely that a hung Dáil will be formed in which no single party holds a clear majority. The formation of the next government will remain unclear until the vote count is well underway and seats have started to be filled. Leo Varadkar said ahead of yesterday's election that he would consider entering into a coalition with Fianna Fáil as a "last resort." Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had initially ruled out forming a government with Sinn Féin despite the party's surge in popularity in the polls. If last night's poll is accurate, this will be Sinn Féin's best ever result in a general election.