“Let the merry dance play out,” a Fianna Fáil TD said, while a Fine Gael TD said: “There’s only one show in town and that’s the Independents.” “The price the Labour Party want to extract from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is not something either will be willing to give, given the seat count,” the source added.

Another Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil-led coalition could be complicated by whether the two parties are willing to make concessions sought by the other.

The next Government will most likely be a Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael coalition propped up by "sensible" independents. Although a handful of seats are yet to be filled, it is expected that Fianna Fáil will be the largest party with 48 seats, Fine Gael will have 38 TDs and Sinn Féin will 39 seats.

With the two large parties look set to share power again, the shape of a programme for government can begin to be gleaned from their election promises.

Fianna  Fáil and Fine Gael are on track to form a new coalition in Election 2024 without the support of a third party, it emerged last night.

If you're still undecided, here's our guide to the main parties and candidates who are likely to have a say in the composition of the next government

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