Counting of votes in the Seanad election is now underway.
Ballots were sorted this afternoon as voting closed at 11am this morning.
There is restricted access to the count to allow for social distancing with some parties even telling candidates not to attend.
The Cultural and Education Panel is the first one due to be counted, with 1,159 covering envelopes returned.
Seanad Returning Officer, Martin Groves, advised people at the count centre that physical distancing must be observed at all times.
Access to the count centre is strictly limited to candidates or nominated agents.
The preliminary procedure is now completed and the Cultural & Educational count has begun.
✅1159 covering envelopes returned
✅16 with no affixed labels, so rejected under rule 8
✅6 declarations of identity were not completed, so vote rejected#seeforyourself #Seanad2020 pic.twitter.com/0NFrUz3Rd9— Houses of the Oireachtas - Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) March 30, 2020
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has called for the Dáil to continue to sit during the Coronavirus crisis.
TD Pearse Doherty says it is essential that there is proper scrutiny of the emergency laws the government has passed.
A Dáil sitting is currently scheduled for Thursday - but there is no formal business on the agenda.
Additional reporting by Shane Beatty
