A solid turnout of close to 58 per cent in the local and European elections is being predicted by the political parties.

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil sources forecast last night that the turnout would be close to the 58 per cent figure achieved in the last local and European contest in 2009.

A Fine Gael spokesman said the figure might be even higher, while a Fianna Fáil source said it would probably come in just under that figure.

The local election in Monaghan was disrupted by tragedy when Fine Gael councillor Owen Bannigan (54) died suddenly of a heart attack yesterday afternoon having spent the morning canvassing. 'Deeply saddened'

“I was deeply saddened to hear today of the sudden passing of Owen Bannigan. He served the people of Ballybay-Clones since 1999 as a councillor.

"I know he showed great dedication in that service, and it is fitting that he had been campaigning earlier in the day," said Fine Gael general secretary Tom Curran.

He said Mr Bannigan had been Fine Gael director of elections in Co Monaghan on a number of occasions, and had previously been chairman of Macra na Feirme.

“My thoughts and prayers and those of all in Fine Gael are with Owen’s family,” said Mr Curran.

The local election in the Ballybay-Clones electoral division of Monaghan will have to be re-run at a future date as a result of Mr Bannigan’s death.

Fine Gael reported a high turnout in south Co Dublin and also in Waterford, with a strong turnout across the country.

Kilkenny and parts of Cork, Galway and Limerick also reported a solid turnout as did Longford Westmeath, where a byelection was also in progress. Sunny weather

Fianna Fáil attributed the good turnout in rural areas to fine sunny weather but it was also solid in middle-class areas of Dublin where there was a lot of rain yesterday.

More than 2,000 candidates were contesting the 949 county council seats, almost 100 more than last time around, while there were 41 candidates for the 11 European Parliament seats in three constituencies.

There are 10 candidates for the Dáil vacancy in Dublin West and nine for the vacancy in Longford-Westmeath.

Counting in the local elections and byelections will begin at 9am today, with the European election count beginning tomorrow.

As all the ballot papers are in the same boxes, tallies for the European elections should be available later today after ballot papers have been sorted.