A wave of support for the Greens in Ireland has set the party on course to top the poll in Dublin, according to a RED C exit poll for RTÉ and TG4.
Ireland has 13 European Parliament seats
The support has been widespread across the Republic of Ireland which also accounts for a four percent margin of error.
This particular poll has proved extremely reliable in past elections.
The Greens could get three seats nationwide as their fresh new candidate in Midlands North West, Saoirse McHugh is on course for a quota with 13% of the vote, and veteran environmentalist and senator Grace O’Sullivan well on the way with 12% in Ireland South. The Greens are predicted to come top of the poll in Dublin with Ciaran Cuffe sailing towards scooping more than 20% of all votes and top the poll.
Most major parties in Dublin have campaigned heavily to cement the country’s place in the EU amid swirling political turmoil in Britain.
Candidates for the European Parliament have also pledged to limit the economic shock of Brexit – which could radiate into Ireland.
Two Irish MEPs will be elected to new seats, created in anticipation of Britain’s 73 lawmakers leaving their posts.
However they will be unable to take up their positions until Britain finalises its split with the EU.
It comes as Ireland’s Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar warned that Theresa May’s decision to step down as Prime Minister puts his country in “danger”.
He fears that Mrs May could be replaced by a hard Brexiteer like Boris Johnson who has said to “prepare for no deal”.
Mr Varadkar told Ireland’s Virgin Media News: ”We may see the election of a Eurosceptic prime minister who wants to repudiate the withdrawal agreement and go for no deal or we may even see a new British government that wants to see a closer relationship with the EU and goes for a second referendum.
Divorce referendum set to pass
Ireland also voted in a divorce referendum. Exit polls show an 87% majority in favour of reform. In the divorce referendum, Irish voters were asked to make two changes to the constitution with regards to divorce. The first is to remove the required separation period before being granted a divorce as enshrined in the Constitution, and the second is to allow for the recognition of foreign divorces.
As the law currently stands, couples seeking a divorce must be living separately for four of the past five years. If this requirement is removed from the constitution, the government plans to introduce legislation reducing the separation period to two years.
All political parties in the Irish Houses of Parliament, known as the Oireachtas, called for a “yes” vote in the referendum.
Today the voting for the European Parliament takes place in Latvia, Malta, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
