Party leaders spent the day re-confirming their pledges as to who they will and will not share power with, but opinion polls show voters doubt such promises will hold once the results are in.
With that in mind, bookmakers have placed odds on possible scenarios.
FIANNA FÁIL/LABOUR PARTY (9-4)
Opposition Labour leader Pat Rabbitte has ruled out entering coalition with Prime Minister Bertie Ahern's ruling party, but if the opposition's 'rainbow' option fails to secure a majority Labour may switch sides, perhaps under a new leader.
FINE GAEL/LABOUR PARTY/GREEN PARTY (5-2)
The main opposition Fine Gael party and the left-leaning Labour party are running on a joint ticket and are favourites to win as long as they can count on the support of the so far unaligned Green Party in a 'rainbow' coalition.
FIANNA FÁIL/GREEN PARTY (7-2)
Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has said he will not go into government with Ahern's party and ruled out a deal with Fine Gael if all it offered was 'Fianna Fáil-Lite'. The party has yet to be part of an Irish governing coalition.
FIANNA FÁIL/PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS (4-1)
Both parties in the current governing coalition look to have lost ground since the last general election and Fianna Fáil may need the support of a bigger party than the pro-business Progressive Democrats if it is to stay in power.
FIANNA FÁIL/SINN FÉIN (9-1)
Fianna Fáil has ruled out governing with the political wing of a now disarmed IRA, saying it could not work with Sinn Féin's socialist economic policies, but polls show many voters believe Ahern could do a deal in a last-ditch bid to stay in power.
FIANNA FÁIL/PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS/GREEN PARTY (10-1)
Considered something of a long shot, given heated exchanges between Progressive Democrat and Green lawmakers, but the odds have shortened following an improvement in Fianna Fáil's standing in opinion polls.
FINE GAEL/LABOUR (14-1)
The two biggest opposition parties have forged a pact to unseat the governing coalition but polls indicate they will need the support of a third party to defeat Fianna Fáil, which has dominated Irish politics for decades.
