The 2016 Irish general election: the parties and the polling

Ireland is expected to hold its next general election in either February or March. Ahead of the election, James McBride assesses developments since the last contest in 2011, where Fianna Fáil saw its vote share substantially reduced in the aftermath of the financial crisis. He writes that present polling suggests Fine Gael will retain its status as the largest party, but that it is unclear who the party would be able to go into coalition with to form a new government if the Labour Party experiences a drop in support.