Ireland's two main governing parties looked on course to return to power in an election on Friday thanks to a giveaway October budget and a loss of momentum by opposition Sinn Fein, a result that would buck a global trend of voters rejecting incumbents.

Promises made by the Sinn Fein pro-Irish unity party to tackle a housing and cost-of-living crisis and stop young people leaving the country have bolstered its popularity ahead of a general election on Friday.

Ireland’s two centre-Right parties have vowed to extend Sinn Fein’s 100-year stint on the political sidelines as they clashed ahead of this week’s closely fought general election.