IRELAND’S three largest political parties will turn their focus towards the formation of a new government after the final general election results were confirmed.

The Republic of Ireland’s Fianna Fail (Republican party) won the most seats with 38, just one ahead of center-left party Sinn Fein, who celebrated their best-ever result.

Fine Gael finished with 35 seats, down 15 from the 2016 general election.

The tight electoral numbers means that negotiations to establish a government could be prolonged.

A party has to win 80 seats in order to gain a majority in the 160-seat Dail eireann (Irish parliament).

Although Fianna Fail finished with one more seat than Sinn Féin, the two parties had the same number of TDs elected, because one of Fianna Fáil’s candidates was elected automatically as he was the ceann comhairle (speaker) of the Dail.

Before the election, both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail had ruled out forging a coalition with left-wing republican party Sinn Fein, citing its tax policies and IRA past as deterrents.

But on Tuesday, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said she welcomed that “Fianna Fail have shifted their position about talking to Sinn Fein and understand that this election has changed everything.”

Sinn Fein said it would seek meetings “with all parties, beginning Wednesday with those parties who received a mandate for change.”

The party has appointed its Donegal TD Pearse Doherty to lead its negotiating team as attempts to form a new government get under way.

(SD-Agencies)