Some 31% of people who took part in the Election 2024 Exit Poll want to see a Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael coalition form the next government.
This was followed by 22% who want to see a Sinn Féin-led coalition without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
Some 56% of respondents who said they voted Fianna Fáil wanted an FF-FG coalition. That compares to 65% of Fine Gael voters who responded.
Other options included:
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin (7%)
Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Independents (9%)
Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and one or more smaller parties (9%)
A total of 21% of respondents said 'something else', while 1% gave no response.
Fianna Fáil party supporters were clear in their preference, with 56% saying they want to see a Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition.
13% said they would also like to include Independents, while 9% said they would include smaller parties instead of Independents. A further 9% said they would favour coalition with Sinn Féin.
This pattern was repeated among Fine Gael supporters, with 65% saying they want to see a coalition with Fianna Fáil, 11% saying they would also include Independents, 10% saying they would instead include smaller parties, and 2% saying they would be in favour of a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Fein coalition that excludes Fine Gael.
Among Sinn Féin supporters, 67% said they want to see a Sinn Féin-led coalition which does not include the two other biggest parties, with 12% saying they are open to a coalition with Fianna Fáil.
Green Party supporters who took part in the Exit Poll would like to see a government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and smaller parties (29%) over one with Sinn Féin (10%).
Labour is split on the issue (13% each for FF-FG-smaller parties, and an SF-led government).
Respondents who said they voted Social Democrats clearly preferring a coalition of Sinn Féin and smaller parties (32%) rather than a Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-smaller parties coalition (15%).
In the general population, there is a wide range of support by age bracket.
Among 18-24 years olds a Sinn Féin-led coalition without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael is the most popular choice at 31%, followed by a Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition at 18%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Independents coalition at 8%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-smaller parties coalition at 8%, and a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin coalition at 5%.
Among 25-34 year olds, a Sinn Féin-led coalition without the two other biggest parties is also the most popular choice at 43%, followed by a Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition at 11%, a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin coalition at 8%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-smaller parties coalition at 7%, and a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Independents coalition at 3%.
Among 35-49 year olds, the most popular choice changes to a Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition at 24%, a Sinn Féin-led coalition without the two other biggest parties at 23%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-smaller parties coalition at 11%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Independents coalition at 10% and a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin coalition at 5%.
Among the 50-64 year old age bracket, the most popular choice is a Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition at 37%, a Sinn Féin-led coalition without the two other biggest parties at 16%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Independents coalition at 12%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-smaller parties coalition at 8% and a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin coalition at 7%.
And among people aged 65 or over, the most popular choice is a Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition at 51%, a Sinn Féin-led coalition without the two other biggest parties at 12%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Independents coalition at 9%, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-smaller parties at 9%, and a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin coalition at 8%.
The Exit Poll was carried out by RTÉ, The Irish Times, TG4, Trinity College Dublin and conducted by Ipsos Behaviour & Attitudes.
It took place in-person outside 253 polling stations covering each of the 43 Dáil constituencies.
The sample size was 5,018, and the margin of error 1.4%.
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