Counting begins for Dáil and council seats

Counting of votes to select two TDs and 1,627 councillors will begin today.

Candidates for Dublin Central and Dublin South who are vying for a seat in the Dáil will gather with supporters in the capital’s RDS.

Early estimates suggested turnout in the local and European elections could be as high as the General Election two years ago.

By 9pm the average across Dublin was 39.9%, with a high of 53.5% recorded in Cabra Glasnevin and a low of 25% in the North Inner City.

As the nation went to the polls yesterday – dubbed “Super Friday” – political parties crammed in some last minute canvassing in a bid to win over late voters at the ballot boxes.

More than three million registered voters are electing the two TDs, 12 MEPs and 1,627 councillors.

In the fight for a Dáil seat, Fine Gael’s candidate in Dublin South, former RTE economics editor George Lee is the front-runner to replace veteran TD Seamus Brennan ahead of Labour’s Senator Alex White.

In Dublin Central several candidates have a chance of winning the seat, including Councillor Maurice Ahern, of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael’s Senator Paschal Donohoe and Christy Burke, of Sinn Féin.

As polls closed around the country last night, ballot boxes were sealed and taken to designated local counting centres.

Returning officers opened boxes at 9am and will begin sorting the votes.

In the local elections, a total of 1,627 councillors will be elected to 114 local authorities. The results are expected throughout the day.

Elsewhere a total of 44 candidates, including 11 outgoing MEPs, are competing for 12 European Parliament seats across the country.

Fianna Fáil is running eight candidates compared with Fine Gael’s seven; Labour four, Sinn Féin five, Libertas three, the Green Party two and the Socialist Party one. There are also 14 Independent candidates.

The European count will being on Sunday morning.