Meath East by-election turnout only at 11.6%

Turnout in the Meath East by-election is reportedly very low this evening. Only 11.6% of the electorate have so far cast their vote.

Polling stations in the constituency opened at 8am and will close at 9pm.

There are 11 candidates running in the by-election, which was called following the death of former Meath East TD Shane McEntee.

Newstalk political reporter Shane Coleman said: "The turnout was expected to be low anyway, particularly in urban areas. Some people were predicting the turnout could be well below 40%. That was before the snow…A lot depends on how the weather goes."