RED C exit poll for RTÉ and TG4 point to Green party making big impact

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael look set to share most council seats while the Green Party has made a big impact in today's elections, especially in the European Parliament poll, according to the RED C exit poll for RTÉ and TG4.

Exit poll @rtenews @NuachtTG4 #LE19 | https://t.co/btxzygloGQ pic.twitter.com/1BOFL1BnK5

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 24, 2019

The exit poll also reveals that 87% of voters are backing a yes vote in the divorce referendum change.

The two big parties each stand at 23% following the exit poll which surveyed 3,000 voters. Next up was Sinn Féin on 12% with Green Party coming in fourth at 9% of votes in the local elections.

Labour vote is stuck at 6% while up to 15% of voters are backing independents.

If the exit poll is replicated in Longford, the it is the Independents who will be the power brokers once again.

Five years ago in Longford, the three elected Independents joined forces with Fianna Fáil (7 seats) to wrestle control of the local authority chamber, with Fine Gael, who had the biggest representation of 8 seats, losing out. 

Nationally, in 2014, Fianna Fáil finished with the bragging rights when it won 267 seats compared to 235 for Fine Gael.

Support for the Greens is more notable in the European elections. In Dublin the Green Party's former TD Ciaran Cuffe looks set to top the poll with 23% of the vote.

The poll of the local elections and the divorce referendum come with a margin of error of 3%. RedC spoke to voters at more than 150 polling stations. 

Counting of votes gets underway on Saturday morning.

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