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Oireachtas
The Dáil (Irish parliament) is due to sit later for the first time since the country's general election this month.
Sinn Féin emerged from the poll on 8 February as the most popular party with voters - it won 37 seats, one seat fewer than Fianna Fáil, which has 38.
The convening of the 33rd Dáil comes as political parties continue negotiations about forming a government.
On Thursday, politicians must choose a ceann comhairle (speaker) before electing a taoiseach (prime minister).
The Dáil will sit on Thursday from 12:00 local time, when the clerk will read out the names of all 160 TDs.
Nominations for the post of ceann comhairle closed on Wednesday evening and TDs (members of the Irish parliament) will elect one member by a secret vote.
Each candidate will be allowed to speak for five minutes before the ballot takes place.
Two-horse race
There are two candidates, with Seán Ó Fearghaíl, the ceann comhairle in the previous Dáil, one of them.
The 59-year-old Fianna Fáil man, who was returned unopposed as TD for Kildare South, has served as chairman of the Dáil since 2016.
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Seán Ó'Fearghaíl is odds-on favourite to hold on to the post of ceann comhairle.
When TDs turn their attention to electing a taoiseach, the three biggest parties - Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and Fine Gael - are expected to nominate their leaders.
Barring unforeseen abstentions none of the three is expected to get the necessary 80 votes.
In that instance, Leo Varadkar will continue as taoiseach but in a caretaking capacity until a successor is chosen.
Negotiations between the parties on forming a government are continuing but are expected to move up a gear next week, with both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil continuing to rule out a coalition with Sinn Féin.
Four years ago it took over 70 days to get the confidence and supply arrangement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
It may take just as long this time to put a government in place.
Standing against Mr Ó Fearghaíl will be independent TD Denis Naughten.
The 46-year-old has been a Roscommon-Galway TD since 1997 and until October 2018 represented Fine Gael.
After resigning as communications minister after controversy about meetings with the leading bidder for his department's national broadband plan, he became an independent and was returned as a TD this month.
Once a new ceann comhairle has been elected, their first item of business will be seeking nominations for the position of taoiseach.
With no party in a majority, it is likely the leaders the three biggest parties - Fianna Fáil's Mícheál Martin, Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald and Leo Varadkar of Fine Gael - will be nominated.
A debate on the merit of each candidate for taoiseach will be followed by a vote.
If nobody is elected, the Dáil will adjourn.