Live: Local and European elections – tallies start to point to potential winners

14.28

In the Limerick mayoral election, a cross-party tally indicates that Independent candidate John Moran is in the lead with around 25 per cent of the tallied votes.

The former secretary general at the Department of Finance is ahead of Independent candidate Helen O’Donnell, who is polling in second place.

13.43

Transfers are likely to be key to deciding the final seats.

According to Fianna Fáil's Barry Cowen, who is an MEP candidate, "the transfers are not as predictable as they normally would be, so that means we are moving into a new era – or a new phase – of election trends that we are not well versed in. So we just have to await that and see how that emerges."

His view is echoed by several commentators who have been talking to the tallies from various parties.

13.25

Partial tallies show that Luke Ming Flanagan and Fine Gael's Maria Walsh are polling well in Midlands–North-West.

The separating of votes is well underway at the TF Royal in Castlebar. As expected, it’s a slow process, given that there are 27 candidates.

It is taking count staff five seconds just to unfold the 28-inch-long ballot paper. Tallies are limited at this stage, but Luke Ming Flanagan is polling well across a number of counties and in particular Donegal, where he will have the backing of many Mica campaigners.

Maria Walsh is also understood to be polling well in Mayo and Galway. But at this stage, it is too early to say who will take any of the five seats in Midlands–North-West.

13.15

Partial tallies show Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are in the running for a seat in the Dublin constituency.

However, Sinn Féin could be dragged into a fight for the remaining two seats.

Tallies across Dublin city and county show Barry Andrews of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty polling well and likely to hold their respective party’s seats.

Independent Ireland’s Niall Boylan could well be in the running for a seat also, with good numbers across the four council areas.

Sinn Féin has been putting up strong performances in Dublin Mid West and in areas of Dublin Fingal, however they could fall into the scrap for the last two seats.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin of Labour, Brid Smyth of People Before Profit and incumbent MEP Clare Daly will also be in the mix – however Ms Daly's vote could be down significantly on 2019.

Ciarán Cuffe and the Greens appear to be holding well in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and in city areas. However, with only a very partial tally being conducted, Dublin is still very much up in the air.

12.35

There is only a partial tally being conducted for the Dublin constituency.

Former Labour TD and Senator Kevin Humphreys believes there are some trends emerging, which at this early stage could worry Sinn Féin.

Mr Humphreys told Newstalk: "What I'm seeing is Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are doing quite well. I think [Niall] Boylan, Independent, does well across all the boxes, especially in working-class deprived areas where there is a very strong vote for him.

"He certainly is in a running for a seat at this stage, that may change throughout the day, and there's going to be a battle royale for the last seat."

Sinn Fein's Eoin Ó Broin is also watching as count staff sort the ballots in Simmonscourt RDS this morning.

13.00

Partial tallies show Luke Ming Flanagan and Fine Gael's Maria Walsh are polling well in Midlands–North-West.

12.30

Count centre staff are continuing to process boxes in Cork before counting begins in the local elections.

There has been no huge surprise yet, with the tallies suggesting the main government and party and opposition candidates are doing well.