Counting of votes to elect the ninth President of Ireland got underway at 9am but a result may not be known until tomorrow.

The ballot boxes were opened  in count centres representing all 43 constituencies.

Results of the two referendums won’t be known until tomorrow.

The Donegal South West count is taking place at the Finn Valley Centre while the count for the Donegal North East constituency is taking place at the Aura leisure centre.

Initially votes are counted locally, once a first count is completed the information is transferred to Dublin – only when all constituency’s have completed the first count will an official declaration then be made.

At this point a candidate may be eliminated and counting will resume locally, that process will continue until such time as the next president is elected, that is expected late tonight or early tomorrow.

Counting on the two referendums may begin in some areas after the first count of the presidential votes, but generally speaking results are not expected until tomorrow

Convicted child killer Robert Black has been found guilty of murdering Jennifer Cardy in Ballinderry, County Antrim, 30 years ago.

The nine-year-old was abducted from the roadside near her home on 12 August 1981.

It emerged during the trial that the 64-year-old was a predatory paedophile with a history of abusing young girls.

Black has been linked to the disappearance of six year-old Mary Boyle in Donegal over three decades ago.

She vanished while playing near her grandparents home at Cashelard, outside Ballyshannon in March of 1977.

Her body was never found.

Black had visited the area around the time of her disappearance as part of his work as a delivery driver.

However, Mary Boyle’s family are understood to not believe he was involved in her disappearance.

The latest stages of the Dungloe and Glenties Sewerage Schemes have been passed with work on the projects expected to now start next year.

The government has given Donegal County Council the ok to put the project out to tender.

The schemes will provide new wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations and sewers in Dungloe and Glenties to replace the present overloaded infrastructure.

It was already flagged in February and July of this year that the tender process was under way, but due to some issues needing clarification for government by Donegal County Council that was delayed.

Junior Minister Dinny McGinley says there should be no further hold-ups:

The latest independently compiled listenership figures show that Highland Radio remains the most listened to local radio station in the country.

Of those that listen to any radio station during the week in this franchise area, 65% choose Highland Radio with the station enjoying a market share of almost 63%.

At the weekend, Highland Radio’s market share increases further to just under 70% on a Saturday and 66.3% on a Sunday.

A market share indicates that people who listen to Highland Radio tend to listen for an extended period.

Voting is underway in the Presidential election and the referendums on Oireachtas inquiries and judicial pay.

Polling stations – which opened around the country at 7 o’clock this morning – will remain open until 10 o’clock tonight.

A by-election is also taking place in the Dublin West constituency.

Voting in Donegal is said to be slow but steady – turnout as of 3pm varies between 7 and 16%

A number of people, who have been rescued by the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team, have lent their support to calls for the council to financially support the organisation.

Early this month the DMRT made an appeal to the public for assistance and this week a delegation was in the County House in Lifford calling on the council to provide funding.

An increase in callouts, particularly during recent bad winters, has stretched DMRT’s resources close to breaking point.

Hughy Rogers from Rannafast was rescued by DMRT when he lost his way in foggy conditions when he was camping in the Poison Glen last year.

He was missing for a couple of days, and he said if wasnt for the DMRT, he wouldnt be here today…….

Patricia McBride and her boyfriend were rescued by DMRT when they became lost on Muckish earlier this year – she says they provide an invaluable rescue service and should be supported:

Garda numbers in Donegal have fallen by sixteen in the year up to the  end  of August.

Currently the county has 457 garda officers.

A large number of senior garda are expected to retire before February to avoid more sanctions on their pensions. And none of these officers will be replaced due to a moratorium on recruitment in the public service.

But, Donegal North-East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue says a fall in numbers, is no excuse to close rural garda stations….

Work is under away today on road and pavements at Lurgybrack.

Traffic controlling measured are place with work expected to take six weeks.

Local Cllr Dessie Larkin says that some parts of the road and footpath were falling apart.

And he said these works today are much needed:

European MEPs in Strasbourg have today agreed to freeze their expenses for next year.

At the moment MEPs are entitled to a monthly allowance of 4-thousand-200-euro for their office and other working expenses.

They’re also entitled to travel expenses provided they send in receipts.

And on top of that MEPs also get a daily allowance of three hundred and two euro which is supposed to cover their daily accommodation and living expenses.

This in addition to the 91,000 euro salary MEP’s receive annually.

But Northwest MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher rejected suggestions expenses were excessive and should be reduced…….

The Taoiseach has welcomed a deal hammered out in Brussels overnight, which – its hoped – will calm the eurozone debt crisis.

After a marathon session of talks, eurozone leaders agreed to boost the bailout fund to around a trillion euro, as well as a 106-billion euro fund to re-capitalise banks.

Banks have also agreed to write off 50 per cent of Greek debt.

At the end of the summit in Brussels this morning, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said it’s a positive breakthrough for Ireland too:

Meanwhile, Northwest Independent MEP Marian Harkin says it’s essential the fund is increased in case other countries such as Italy and Spain need to access it.

She says without that fund we would be in serious trouble: