It was a dull election campaign but we are set for an extraordinary outcome, writes Conor McMorrow of RTÉ's political staff.
It is early yet but we can say for certain that Election 2016 will be grim for Fine Gael and Labour.
One statistic that tells the early story of this election is the fact that Fine Gael won 76 seats in 2011 compared to Fianna Fáil’s paltry 20 seats – that is a massive gap of 56 seats.
Amazingly, by 11am pollster Seán Donnelly said that Fianna Fáil could actually win more seats than Fine Gael.
We will not know for some time if that will happen but the fact that it is even being discussed points to Fine Gael snatching defeat from the mouth of victory in this election.
Mark Mortell, a key Fine Gael strategist, has also conceded his party will end up very close to Fianna Fáil in seats won.
He also warned that the prospects of a fresh election were "very, very high" and this election will throw up a very different landscape for Irish politics.
He said the people had made their choices and it was time for the political system to do its work. Is this an early overture from Fine Gael to the old enemy?
There will be one hell of an election post-mortem within Fine Gael party ranks after this count weekend.
Michael Ring is not the only Fine Gaeler with the assessment that his party was "over-prepared and tired". There’s a view the party was better prepared for a November election.
Part of the reason Taoiseach Enda Kenny held off on his November election plans until now was to appease Tánaiste Joan Burton and Labour.
There was a view that Labour might fare better in a spring election.
This has not happened. On just 7% in the RTÉ Exit Poll and with early tallies signalling multiple seat losses, the question now is how bad is this for Labour and will the party’s seat count be in single digits?
Ms Burton polled 15%, according to the tally in Dublin West, but she is still in a real battle to save her seat.
Will the Tanaiste hold on, it'll be very close'...Leading on almost 20% is @campaignforleo, @joanburton on 15% in @RTEdublinWEST
— RTÉRadio1 (@RTERadio1) February 27, 2016
Outgoing Dublin South Central TD Eric Byrne conceded just before midday. Many others await their fate in battles for the final seat in their constituencies.
It’s been a good day for Sinn Féin. The party’s 16% in this morning’s exit poll would indicate a six-point increase on the party’s 2011 election result.
The party will add to its Dáil seat tally of 14 seats with John Brady in Wicklow, Eoin Ó Broin in Dublin Mid West and Imelda Munster in Louth looking likely to be among the new faces in the 32nd Dáil.
Smaller parties and the Independent in what has been dubbed "a new era for Irish politics."
Early tallies have confirmed the finding's of this morning's RTÉ Exit Poll which showed that up to one third of the electorate has voted for independents and smaller parties.
For the AAA-PBP in the next Dáil, Gino Kenny in Dublin Mid-West and Cork North-Central could well be a new TDs when the votes are counted.
Today may also marks a significant day for the Social Democrats which is expected to pick up seats in addition to the three party leaders – Roisín Shortall, Cahterine Murphy and Stephen Donnelly.
One of the most telling statistics to emerge among the waves of numbers and percentages today lies in the RTÉ Exit Poll. Some 50% of exit poll respondents said another general election was likely within the next 12 months.
By Conor McMorrow, RTÉ Political Staff
