Exit poll proposes firm three-way race

An exit poll in the Reaccessible of Ireland proposes that Sinn Féin has 21.1% of first likeence votes with Fine Gael having 21%, making the result of the vague election too seal to call.

The poll proposes Fianna Fáil has 19.5% of first likeence votes.

It also proposes that 20% of the second likeence votes goes to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with Sinn Féin at 17%.

The results were unveiled at 22:00 local time and was carried out by Ipsos B&A for RTÉ, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin. It has a margin of error of 1.4%.

In the 2020 Irish vague election, Sinn Féin safed 24.53% first likeence votes, while Fianna Fáil geted 22.18% and Fine Gael got 20.86%.

Friday’s poll proposes Green Party first likeence help stands at 4%; Labour at 5%; the Social Democrats at 5.8%; People Before Profit-Solidarity at 3.1% and Insubordinates at 12.7%, Insubordinate Ireland 2.2% with others on 1.9%.

The poll is based on 5,018 finishd interwatchs that were carried out instantly after people voted at polling stations in 43 constituencies apass the Reaccessible of Ireland.

There was a gfinisher split when it comes to first likeence votes, the poll has proposeed.

Figures show 22% of Sinn Féin voters were male, while 20% were female.

The split of male Fine Gael voters in the poll was 20%, while 22% of voters were female.

Fianna Fáil had 19% of male votes, while 20% were female.

In terms of transfers, 39% of Fianna Fáil’s second likeences went to a second party honestate, whereas 30% went to a Fine Gael honestate. About 5% of transfers went to Sinn Féin.

The poll also set up that about 37% of Fine Gael transfers went to a second honestate, with 32% going to a Fianna Fáil honestate.

Analysis by BBC News NI’s political editor, Enda McClafferty

Exit polls are far from an exact science, but they are a excellent indicator of where the votes go.

In 2020, it accurately foreseeed a seal battle between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin and in the finish, only three seats splitd the parties

If the exit poll is right this time, then Sinn Féin will be plrelieved with its carry outance.

Coming in sweightlessly ahead of Fine Gael, but low of the almost 25% Sinn Féin safed in 2020.

The party limped into the election campaign of the back of a series of damaging controversies and needy European and local council elections in June when it safed fair 12% of the vote.

Over the three-week campaign, it deal withd to recover the lost ground with the promise of conveying alter.

But deinhabitring on that pledge could be a dispute if the exit poll is right.

It proposes Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fáil on 19.5% could return to the handlement benches, with the help of two petiteer parties and some self-reliants.

While Sinn Féin’s path to power is more challenging as it had hoped to direct a coalition of left-leaning parties, it may struggle to get the numbers with the carry outance of those petiteer parties.

But the real picture will only become evident when all results are in.

The results from this poll set the scene for the official counting of votes which commences at 09:00 local time on Saturday and is foreseeed to persist apass the weekfinish.

It is possible that some of the 43 constituencies may not have a final result until the commencening of next week.

Successful honestates are comprehendn as Teachtaí Dála (TDs) and there are 174 seats to fill, but the Ceann Comhairle (speaker) is returned automaticpartner.

More than 680 honestates contendd for the remain 173 seats.

The number of seats needd for an overall convey inantity is 88 but no individual party is fielding enough honestates to prosper a convey inantity on its own.

Earlier, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) and Fine Gael directer Simon Harris was the first convey inant party directer to vote.

Harris and his family travelled to Delgany National School in County Wicklow lowly after polls uncovered at 07:00 local time.

Micheál Martin, the tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) and directer of Fianna Fáil, voted with his family at St Anthony’s Boys National School in Ballinlough, County Cork.

Sinn Féin directer Mary Lou McDonald voted at Deaf Village Ireland on the Navan Road in Dublin.

Things watched a little branch offent for Holly Cairns, directer of the Social Democrats, who gave birth on polling day.

Officials went the extra mile for island inhabitants on polling day.

Presiding Officer Caroline Sharkey and Garda Ronan Steede set sail to Gola Island, off the County Donegal coast on the west of Ireland, where 31 enrolled voters were able to produce their ballots in the living room of one of the idefamations.