Either Fianna Fáil's Sean Ó Fearghail or Independent TD Denis Naughten will be elected Ceann Comhairle of the next Dáil today.

Some 47 new TDs will take their seats when the 33rd Dáil meets for the first time this afternoon.

Meanwhile, a further seven are returning to the house after losing their seats in 2016.

The first order of business will be the election of a new Ceann Comhairle.

Deputies will vote by secret ballot with two options to choose from.

Deputy Ó Fearghail is hoping to serve a second term in the position while Deputy Naughten has said he aims to use the role to “re-establish the authority of individual parliamentarians.”

The vote will have an impact on the formation of the next Dáil as, if Deputy Ó Fearghail is elected, Fianna Fáil will lose a vote – putting it level with Sinn Féin on 37.

The Ceann Comhairle traditionally votes with the government if there is a tie.

That will be followed by nominations for Taoiseach; however, no leader will have enough support to win the vote.

Defeat will mean Leo Varadkar has to resign his position as Taoiseach, although he will continue to do the job until a new government is elected.

Sinn Féin is welcoming 17 newly-elected TDs, while the Green Party has nine new faces.

Fianna Fáil has eight, with five new members joining the Fine Gael bench, four joining the Social Democrats and one joining Labour.

When the attempt to elect a Taoiseach is complete the Dáil will adjourn, likely for two weeks, as parties continue their attempt to cobble together a working government.

With reporting from Seán Defoe