By Juno McEnroe, political correspondent

Fine Gael’s election strategist Mark Mortell is not ruling out Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil working together and has also said the prospect of another election is now very high.

Speaking in the wake of Fine Gael’s shock results according to this morning’s exit poll, which puts them at 24%, Mr Mortell said: “It’s not a day that I’m enthusiastic about so far.”

The election strategist said the party had been hoping to hit 30%, but was now going to be well shy of this, possibly with less than 50 seats.

However, he conceded that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil would be much closer together in terms of Dail numbers and that this would lead to a fractured parliament.

Asked about the two parties working together, he said:

“We’re each going to have to consider the situation and we’re going to have to talk to the Labour party too.”

But he said he possibility of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail working together would “not be easy”.

“We’re going to have to review this as a political system.”

The prospect of another election was “now very, very high,” added Mr Mortell.