Limerick Decides: Steady turnout at polling stations across city

TURNOUT in the council and European elections is steady ahead of the key evening period.

At present, boxes across the three metropolitan districts are averaging turnouts of between 20% and 30% – with a couple of outliers – as Limerick elects a new council, European parliament, as well as deciding on whether the county should get an executive mayor, and the divorce referendum.

A number of boxes which would have been traditionally based at St Paul’s National School in Dooradoyle have moved to County Hall, due to building work.

Here, one box saw a 17% turnout, while a box while just two in every ten voters in a box in Ballykeeffe had voted as of 4pm today – although a very small number of people were registered to that box..

In a box representing Kilteragh, around a quarter of people had voted.

Meanwhile, there was a strong turnout at the Model School in O’Connell Avenue, with one box showing a 50% turnout already.

Scoil Ide in Corbally recorded a rate of just below 19%, while Presentation NS in Sexton Street’s turnout stood at just 14%. At Scoil Mathair De in the South Circular Road, around 27% of people had voted.

At St Michael’s National School in Barrington Street turnout stood at around 26% this teatime.

Meanwhile, over in City East there was a  turnout of 22% at the Gaelscoil in Castletroy, and 20% at Milford National School. The Castleconnell turnout stood at 26% just before tea-time, with a 20% turnout in Monaleen.

A surge is anticipated as the final hours of voting approach, with polling stations open until 10pm.

The votes will then be counted on Saturday at the Limerick Racecourse.

Approximately 150,000 people are eligible to take part in three of the four votes in Limerick - with the referendum only open to Irish citizens.

Following the closing of the polls, a major operation will kick-in to bring the ballot boxes to the count centre at Limerick Racecourse, Patrickswell.

The votes will be sorted and tallied on Saturday morning, with the ballot papers from the European election taken to Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork, where the Ireland South count takes place. It’s unclear how long this count will take due to the fact staff may have to conduct the count on the basis of Ireland South being both a four-seater or a five-seater.

Only four MEPs will be in post if Britain reverses its decision to leave the European Union.