Ballot boxes have been opened around the country and counting is getting underway following voting in the 2024 general election yesterday. What started as a lacklustre campaign ended in the three largest parties in the country being neck-and-neck in a race “too close to call”.

The protracted process of counting votes in Ireland’s General Election will begin as an exit poll put the three main parties virtually tied.

Tallies are being totted up in Laois, where 12 candidates are battling it out for just three seats. Fine Gael are edging the party percentage vote for the county. Of the big three parties Fine Gael have 22.5pc of the vote, with Fianna Fáil sharing 20.2pc of the vote.