A senior Fine Gael minister has confirmed that the party will NOT accept any coalition deal that involves scrapping water charges.

The comments by Simon Coveney come as it becomes clearer that only a partnership of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail would have any realistic prospect of forming a stable government in the 32nd Dáil.

TDs are today preparing for the first sitting of that new Dáil tomorrow - with no sign of a new government being formed in the near future.

Sinn Féin has said it will oppose any attempt to adjourn the Dáil for several weeks after tomorrow's sitting, as Enda Kenny's interim caretaker government should still be held to account.

It's meanwhile been confirmed today that the Independent Alliance will put forward a candidate for Taoiseach tomorrow - but the alliance will not yet say who it will put forward.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: