LAST UPDATE | 22 May

PEOPLE ARE CONTINUING to cast their votes in the Galway West and Dublin Central byelections, with turnout this evening nearing 50% in parts of each constituency.

Voters will today decide who should fill the seats left vacant by President Catherine Connolly and former finance minister Paschal Donohoe.

Polls opened at 7am and will remain open until 10pm tonight.

If you’re registered, you will have received a polling card, which includes your elector number and the name of the polling station you can vote at.

You can only vote in your designated polling station.

You don’t need to bring your polling information card with you to vote, but you must bring a form of valid ID, such as a passport, driving licence, or student ID that includes a photograph.

Turnout so far

Turnout has steadily picked up today, with average turnout for Dublin Central at 39.5% as of 9.30pm.

Here are some figures from the constituency’s polling stations:

• St Paul’s CBS – 25%
• Sean O’Casey in East Wall – 37.5%
• St Finbarrs National School – 48.6%
• Deaf Village Centre in Cabra – 40.3%
• Glasnevin National School – 46%

As of 8pm, turnout for Galway West was an average of 37.8%.

Here are figures reported by the returning officer for the vast constituency:

• Clifden – 35%
• Spiddal – 42%
• Moycullen – 50%
• Oranmore – 39%
• Knocknacarra (City West) – 41%
• Salthill (St Endas West) – 44%
• Renmore (City East) – 31%
• Carraroe – 39%
• Doughiska (City East) – 33%
• Bushypark (City West) – 40%
• Claregalway – 35%
• Ballybane (City East) – 34%
• Westside (City West) – 35%
• Aran Islands Cill Ronan – 34%
• Tirellan – 36%

Michael D and Sabina Higgins voting in Galway.

There are 17 candidates running in Galway West.

They are:

• Néill Bairéad (Independent)
• AJ Cahill (The Irish People)
• Mike Cubbard (Independent)
• Patrick Feeney (Independent)
• Sheila Garrity (Independent)
• Cillian Keane (Fianna Fáil)
• Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
• Mark Lohan (Sinn Féin)
• Niall Murphy (Green Party)
• Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich (Social Democrats)
• Orla Nugent (Aontú)
• Helen Ogbu (The Labour Party)
• Denman Rooke (People Before Profit)
• Michael Ryan (Independent)
• Noel Thomas (Independent Ireland)
• Thomas Welby (Independent)

In addition, Cork-based businessman John O’Leary is running as an Independent candidate in both Dublin Central and Galway West.

The other 13 candidates in Dublin Central are:

• Janice Boylan (Sinn Féin)
• Tony Corrigan (Independent)
• Daniel Ennis (Social Democrats)
• Colm Joseph Flood (Independent)
• Mannix Flynn (Independent)
• Janet Horner (Green Party)
• Gerard Hutch (Independent)
• Ray McAdam (Fine Gael)
• Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (People Before Profit)
• Ruth O’Dea (The Labour Party)
• Ian Noel Smyth (Aontú)
• Malachy Steenson (Independent)
• John Stephens (Fianna Fáil)

With reporting by Eoghan Dalton