15 - The number of days remaining to polling day in the 2011 general election, February 25, when the 31st Dáil will be elected.

1350 – The number of days for which the 30th Dáil was in effect – from the general election of May 24, 2007 until it was dissolved on February 1.

2 – The number of Taoisigh who have presided over the 30th Dáil – Bertie Ahern, who quit in May 2008, and Brian Cowen.

1 – The number of members of the outgoing Dáil who led their party into the last election and still have that role: Enda Kenny. Bertie Ahern, Pat Rabbitte, Michael McDowell and Trevor Sargent all quit their leaderships; Gerry Adams did not run for election.

470 - The number of people who contested the election last time around.

566 - The number contesting this year’s election, a major increase on last time.

23 - The number of female TDs in the last Dáil, or about 14 per cent.

85 - The number of women running in this election, just under 15 per cent of the candidates.

39 - The number of TDs from the last Dáil who are not seeking to retain their jobs in the Seanad.

165 - The number of seats to be filled in this election – every seat but one, that of Louth’s Seamus Kirk, who is automatically returned as Ceann Comhairle.

83 - The number of TDs a party, or coalition, will need to guarantee a majority in the Dáil (the Ceann Comhairle doesn’t vote unless there’s a tie, so if 83 votes are cast on the government side, the opposition can only produce a maximum of 82).

75 – The number of candidates being fielded by Fianna Fáil, meaning the party cannot form a government by itself – a goal it has pursued in every previous general election.

104 - The number being fielded by Fine Gael, who are almost certain to become the largest party.

68 - The number being offered by Labour.

43 - The number being offered by the Green Party – the only party to pursue a candidate of running one sole candidate in each constituency.

41 - The number being proposed by Sinn Féin, who had candidates in all but two constituencies.

19 - The number of candidates being fielded by the United Left Alliance, comprising three parties.

2,085,245 - The number of (legitimate) votes cast in the last general election; there were likely more votes than this cast, though thousands would have been spoilt.

15 - The number of people who will form the next cabinet after the election; the Taoiseach will be assisted by a Tánaiste and 13 other ministers. The same number of Ministers of State will be appointed.

9,000,000,000 - The amount, in euro, that the next government will need to raise in new taxes, or cut in government spending, on top of its regular budgets in order to bring the budget deficit within EU limits by 2015.