Ireland's traditional political rivals Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are being forced to mull over the prospect of an historic pact after voters handed the outgoing coalition a hammering.

The Co-Leader of the Social Democrats Róisín Shortall has said a vote transfer pact with any party, including Sinn Féin, would have been a 'negative' for the party.

The SDLP has ruled out a nationalist electoral pact with Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland during the general election.