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Tally boxes are opened at the RDS in Dublin at the start of the Irish basic election depend on Sunday.
Signs from the exit poll suggest there is little distinction in percentage terms in between Great Gael, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil.
Ballot in the election closed at 22: 00 on Saturday.
There will be live page coverage of the election results on the BBC News NI site from 12: 00 GMT on Sunday.
From left: Micheál Martin (Fianna Fáil), Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael) and Mary Lou McDonald (Sinn Féin).
The poll recommend the parties might be equal in terms of percentages, but this will not translate into seats.
Ireland’s elections are brought out under the proportional representation (PR) ballot system, using the single transferable vote (STV).
This implies that the photo presented when the first choice votes are counted does not entirely show the final result.
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Ballot papers are stacked at the RDS in Dublin throughout the Irish general election count.
Sinn Féin likewise ran 42 prospects across the 39 multi-seat constituencies, about half that of both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, which will have a ripple effect on the number of seats it can secure.
Coalition talks could be prolonged
Analysis by Chris Page, BBC News Ireland correspondent
Among the significant stories of the election campaign was a surge in assistance for Sinn Féin in opinion surveys.
The exit poll, performed for a number of media organisations, has forecasted that the celebration l