THERE will be a second vote to appoint the next Taoiseach in the Dáil later this week to try as parties and politicians alike look to form a new government.
Political deadlock has been the theme of the last few weeks following last month's inconclusive general election.
With Ireland's three major parties all winning roughly the same amount of votes and seats, none of them were able to secure an overall majority, prompting a negotiation process between them in a bid to form a coalition.
As is protocol, a vote for the next Taoiseach was conducted in the Dáil following the election, but in order to be appointed, a candidate must receive at least 80 votes.
But due to the three-way tie, no candidate managed to get enough.
Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald was the closest with 45, with Michael Martin and Leo Varadkar receiving 41 and 31 respectively in the vote on February 20.
There will now be a second vote on Thursday, but the outcome is expected to be the same as the first, with no leader predicted to secure the 80 votes needed to be appointed Taoiseach.
There could be initial indications of how well the negotiations have been going between the parties, should any of the major contenders see a spike or dip in the number of votes they receive.
This week, Fine Gael are expected to meet with Green Party, which follows on from last week's meeting with Fianna Fail.
Sinn Fein meanwhile have been left out in the cold, with neither Fine Gael nor Fianna Fail willing to discuss doing a deal.
Instead, McDonald has taken her party on a nationwide rally, holding meetings with hundreds of supporters around the country last week.
See More: Dáil, Taoiseach Vote
