COUNTING OF VOTES TO ELECT THE NINTH PRESIDENT OF IRELAND WILL GET UNDERWAY THIS MORNING - BUT A RESULT MAY NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL TOMORROW.

THE RESULT OF THE BY-ELECTION IN DUBLIN WEST WILL BE DECLARED SOMETIME THIS AFTERNOON.

AND THE RESULTS OF THE TWO REFERENDUMS WON'T BE KNOWN UNTIL TOMORROW.

THE BALLOT BOXES WILL BE OPENED AT 9 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING IN COUNT CENTRES REPRESENTING ALL 43 CONSTITUENCIES – THE MAYO COUNT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE TF ROYAL THEATRE IN CASTLEBAR.

IN ROSCOMMON, VOTES WILL BE COUNTED AT THE HYDE CENTRE.

AND IN GALWAY THERE ARE TWO COUNT CENTRES – LEISURELAND IN SALTHILL FOR GALWAY WEST, AND NEW INN, BALLINASLOE FOR THE GALWAY EAST CONSTITUENCY.

FIRST COUNT RESULTS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL VOTE MUST BE DECLARED FROM ALL 43 CONSTITUENCIES BEFORE A SECOND COUNT CAN BEGIN - AND AT SOME STAGE TONIGHT THE RETURNING OFFICER WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO CONTINUE COUNTING UNTIL A RESULT IS KNOWN IN THE EARLY HOURS, OR SUSPEND IT UNTIL TOMORROW.

TURNOUT IS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 50% NATIONALLY - WELL DOWN ON THE 70% RECORDED FOR THE GENERAL ELECTIONS LAST FEBRUARY, BUT UP SLIGHTLY ON THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL POLL IN 1997.