As the ballot boxes are opened and counting begins around the country, we examine politicians’ reactions to last night’s exit poll.

Fine Gael has been engulfed by infighting over candidates breaking rules set by party HQ over where they could canvass in the final, frantic days of a ‘bumpy’ General Election campaign.

The pollsters asked voters who their preference for Taoiseach would be - and the Fianna Fáil leader came out on top, just about. Martin garnered 35 per cent of that particular vote with Mary Lou McDonald on 34 per cent and Simon Harris lagging behind on 27 per cent.

Stakes were high for the main political parties of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin going into this election, with polls showing them neck and neck.

Fine Gael (21 per cent) and Fianna Fáil (19.5 per cent) are virtually neck-and-neck in terms of first-preference votes in the general election, according to an exit poll. The Social Democrats are on 5.

The results of the poll, conducted by Ipsos B&A today for The Irish Times/RTÉ/TG4/TCD, and released just after polls closed, are as follows: Sinn Féin 21.1 per cent, Fianna Fáil 19.5 per cent, Fine Gael 21 per cent,