Ireland's exit poll shows three parties in tight race for coalition government

An exit poll from Ireland's parliamentary election indicates that the three largest parties—Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, and Sinn Fein—have received nearly equal support. Fine Gael leads with 21%, followed closely by Sinn Fein at 21.1% and Fianna Fail at 19.5%. Counting of votes begins Saturday, and full results may take days due to Ireland's proportional representation system. Sinn Fein, which seeks to reunite Northern Ireland with the Republic, may become the largest party but faces challenges in forming a coalition, as Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have ruled out alliances with it. The election has been dominated by issues like the housing crisis and immigration. Voters are concerned about rising costs and homelessness, which have intensified due to a lack of new housing and an influx of asylum seekers.