Sinn Féin is to hold talks on government formation with Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett later.

It comes as political parties come together to discuss their next move.

With all 160 TDs elected, the focus now turns to forming a government.

Solidarity-People Before Profit TD say it will hold a parliamentary party meeting later this week.

But in the meantime, the party's Richard Boyd-Barrett is to meet with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.

They are set to sit down together at midday.

The Green Party already met on Tuesday and is expected to do so again over the next few days.

The party says it will be talking to all parties.

The six Social Democrats TDs are to hold talks later on Wednesday.

Fianna Fáil is due to hold a parliamentary party meeting by the end of week, while Fine Gael is not expected to do so until next week.

On Tuesday, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael said the onus was on Ms McDonald to form a government.

Fianna Fail's Thomas Byrne said the party was prepared to wait and see what the outcome of those efforts are.

He said: "The reason I'm stepping back from it during this interview is because Mary Lou McDonald has said we are her last resort.

"She is going to talk to left-wing parties, presumably, those talks are already happening or she is on the phone.

"Fianna Fáil is always willing to step up to the plate and I have outlined my difficulties and my party's difficulties with Sinn Féin but clearly the country needs a government and it needs an executive to function."

Helen Mc Entee of Fine Gael also outlined that the responsibility to form a government rests with the Sinn Féin leader.

She said: "Sinn Féin essentially if you look at the number of votes they have received but also this idea of vote left or transfer left, we know it would be very difficult, there would is a majority for a left-leaning government.

"This is essentially what people have voted for so I think the onus is on Mary Lou McDonald to form that type of government."

Main image: Pearse Doherty of Sinn Féin speaking to the media announcing that he has been appointed the negociator between the Sinn Féin and the political parties | Image: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie