Micheál Martin is likely to become taoiseach in a rotating arrangement with Leo Varadkar

Micheál Martin is expected to be taoiseach by the end of the month as part of a deal struck with Fine Gael.

Talks between the two parties have progressed significantly over the last week, and a grand coalition is now a near-certainty with a rotating taoiseach arrangement between the Fianna Fáil leader and Leo Varadkar.

“We’ve had a general election; I think what emerges has to reflect that election as well,” Mr Martin said yesterday.

He echoed comments by Mr Varadkar, when asked who would go first in a rotating head of government arrangement, who pointed out the day before that Fianna Fáil now had more seats than his party.

Sinn Féin won 24.5 per cent of the first-preference vote in February’s election, almost doubling