Sinn Féin remains on course to be largest party in Northern Ireland councils

A general view as ballots are tallied in the Great Hall of Belfast City Hall as counting continues (Liam McBurney/PA)

Sinn Féin remains on course to become the largest party in councils in Northern Ireland as counting continues in the local government elections.

As the count stretched into a second day, the republican party had 122 elected councillors at lunchtime, with gains achieved across the region.