Independent candidates playing a rising role in Irish elections: analyst Professor of contemporary Irish history Eunan O'Halpin explains the rise of Sinn Fein in the polls, as well as independent candidates, as Ireland heads to the ballot box on Saturday. The next government is widely expected to be a coalition, raising the prospect of protracted negotiations. It took 70 days before a new minority coalition government was formed in 2016, with Fine Gael propped up by a confidence and supply arrangement with Fianna Fail. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES