Ireland goes to the polls on Friday with the incumbent coalition parties neck-and-neck with opposition party, Sinn Fein, after a campaign marked by rancour over housing and cost-of-living crises. Polls open across the country at 0700 GMT and close at 2200 GMT as voters choose new members of the 174-seat lower chamber of parliament,

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's two large centre-right parties looked on course to be returned to power after an election on Friday, but they will likely need at least one junior partner to reach a majority, raising questions about the stability of the next government.

The most obvious route to a coalition looks to be a combination of the centre-right parties who have dominated Irish governments for a century, plus left-wing partners. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael grew more optimistic as the counting continued late into Saturday evening.