Man arrested after 'setting fire to ballot paper'

An man in his 60s has been charged with a public order offence after he allegedly set fire to his ballot paper and placed it in a ballot box at a polling station in Co Westmeath yesterday.

The incident happened at Tang National School.

It is understood none of the other papers were damaged sufficiently to stop them being used for today's count.

The man is due to appear before Athlone District Court, charged under the public order act, in the coming weeks.