Exit polls are suggesting that the Republic of Ireland has voted to scrap the country's laws on blasphemy.

The poll shows that 71% of voters surveyed indicated they voted yes to removing the reference to blasphemy from the Irish Constitution.

Voters were also asked to decide on who would become the Irish President.

The exit poll suggests Michael D Higgins received 58% of first preference votes and will be re-elected.

He is the first incumbent in 50 years to face a challenge in his bid for a second term.

The exit poll by Irish Broadcaster RTÉ, conducted by Red C, also said about 2% said they had not voted on the blasphemy referendum.

Turnout is reported to be low in many areas of the country.

The figures suggest it could be comparable to the last Presidential Election in 2011.

More than 3.2m people are eligible to cast their ballots in the election and referendum.

Voters received two ballot papers at polling stations.

They were given a white ballot paper for the Presidential Election and a green ballot paper for the referendum on blasphemy.

Many were unaware there was such an offence until a member of the public referred controversial remarks made by the actor and writer Stephen Fry on an RTÉ programme to An Garda Siochana (Irish police force). Mr Fry spoke about what he regarded as God's cruelty during the programme.

But the matter was dropped when gardai (police officers) could find no-one who was offended.

The last person to be prosecuted for blasphemy was in 1855 when the British ruled Ireland.

Presidential candidates

The president is Ireland's "first citizen", but has limited power - the role is mainly symbolic and he or she cannot get involved in daily politics.

In the presidential poll, Mr Higgins' rivals include:

• Liadh Ni Riada, the Sinn Féin MEP
• Senator Joan Freeman, a campaigner on mental health issues and the founder of the charity Pieta House
• Sean Gallagher, a businessman who was the runner-up seven years ago
• Gavin Duffy, a former broadcaster who now works as a businessman in the communications industry
• Peter Casey, a Londonderry-born businessman and who made his fortune abroad

The three businessmen were all "dragons" in the Irish version of the Dragons' Den TV programme.

About 3,470 people were interviewed for RTÉ's exit poll on a random basis outside 138 polling stations between 07:00 and 21.30 on Friday.

The poll suggests that businessman Peter Casey will get 20.7% of the first preference vote with Sinn Féin's Liadh Ní Riada getting 7.4%, with 6.3% for Senator Joan Freeman.

The poll suggests businessman Seán Gallagher is on 5.5% and businessman Gavin Duffy on 2.0%.

The exit poll's margin of error is between plus or minus 3%.

Polling stations opened at 07:00 local time and closed at 22:00.

Counting in centres across the state will begin on Saturday at 09:00.

The official result, expected on Saturday evening, will be announced at Dublin castle.



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45999270