The leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are meeting this evening, in the first step towards a potential government deal.

The meeting comes after Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin both failed in their efforts to be elected Taoiseach today.

In the Dáil this evening the Fianna Fail leader insisted he was seeking a change of government.

And he accused Enda Kenny of replying on spin - after reading newspaper reports about tonight's meeting before an invite was received:

Meanwhile - the Government's started a tendering process for new general election polling cards.

However the Department of the Environment insists the timing is NOT connected to efforts to form a Government - but instead is standard procedure after an election.

It comes as acting Minister for Health Leo Varadkar tweeted to say his election posters are cleaned and ready to be deployed on Sunday night.

The tendering closes on April 20th.