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Counting under way in Ireland by-elections

Gabija GataveckaiteDublin correspondent, BBC News NI
News imagePA Media A woman in a cream jumper, with brown hair, looks at a white ballot paper , there is a woman with dark hair and a dark jumper beside her.PA Media
Votes were being sorted as counting began in Dublin Central on Saturday morning

Counting is under way at two by-elections in the Republic to elect two new TDs (Irish MPs) to the Irish parliament.

Voters had their say at the ballot boxes on Friday in Dublin Central and Galway West constituencies.

The by-election is taking place in Dublin Central to fill a seat left vacant by Fine Gael TD and former Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe who took up a role with the World Bank.

Galway West is electing a new TD as their local TD Catherine Connolly was elected as president.

Traditionally, governing parties are disadvantaged in by-elections as voters use by- elections to punish the government.

In Dublin Central, Social Democrat and Sinn Féin candidates are viewed as front runners.

News imagePA Media Two hands are visible flicking through a pile of ballot papers on a wooden table. PA Media
All of the ballot boxes have been tallied in Dublin Central

With all of the ballot boxes tallied in Dublin Central, the Social Democrats are viewed as having the edge on Sinn Féin's Janice Boylan.

The Social Democrat candidate Daniel Ennis is on 19.6% of first preference votes while Boylan is at 17.7% of first preference votes, according to tallies.

Tallies give an indication of what the first count is likely to be but transfers of votes will also be important in deciding who ultimately wins the the two seats.

In Galway West, with nearly half of ballot boxes open, Independent Ireland candidate Noel Thomas is on 21.3%, followed by Fine Gael candidate Sean Kyne on 20.2%.