Voter turnout in the local and European elections is expected to increase into the evening as people finish work.

Voters in Limerick are also choosing a directly elected Mayor for the first time.

Polls remain open until 10:00pm.

Turnout has been steady across the country since voting centres opened at 7:00am.

Across Waterford city, up to 21% of eligible voters had cast a ballot up to 3:00pm, with a 30% turn out at the Mercy Primary School centre.

In Clare, there was a 34% turn out at Scoil Chroist Ri at 4:00pm and 24% at the centre in Ennis.

The figure was almost 19% in Cavan at 3:00pm and the latest from Mayo at 4:00pm shows an average turnout of almost 25%.

Looking at the Belmullet Local Electoral Area, Dooagh and Bangor have around 30% turnout thus far while Dookinella in Achill has had a 55% turnout.

Roughly one in three people have voted at the polling station in Belmullet as of 5:00pm. 

Evening turnout figures for Cork and Dublin are expected in the coming hours.