Dublin -There was concern about low turnout Friday as the Irish were voting - for the second time - on the European Union's Lisbon Treaty. Across the south-west of the country, turnout was lower than at the same time in the last referendum by 2 pm (1300 GMT).
The returning officer for both the Galway constituencies in the West of the country said voter turnout was "low and slow", averaging between 10 and 20 per cent by lunchtime.
This was "substantially" down on the figures at the same stage during the last referendum.
Turnout was reported to "very low" in the south-western Cork city and county, averaging about 5 per cent at 10.30 am. Voting in Limerick was also said to be low, with turnout running at between 4 per cent and 9 per cent by mid-morning.
Turnout in Dublin was averaging 21 per cent by 3 pm.
Several Dublin voters, interviewed by the daily Irish Times newspaper, said they had reversed their decision to vote "No" last time because of the state of the economy.
Others said they were holding firm to their decision to reject Lisbon, with some saying they resented having to vote a second time on the treaty.
Among the first to vote was President Mary McAleese, who cast her ballot near her official residence in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.
The Prime Minister Brian Cowen cast his vote at in his home county of Offaly Friday morning, where the rural turnout appears to be over 15 per cent while turnout in the town of Tullamore was at 9 per cent.
Cowen, whose unpopularity is expected to cause some voters to vote "No" in protest, appealed to voters to come out.
"I'd ask everybody, we all have rights and obligations as citizens, one of our rights that should be cherished by everyone is our right to vote."
Opposition Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, who campaigned for a "Yes" vote, voted in Castlebar, County Mayo, in the West of Ireland, where polling was reportedly "quiet."
Polling began at 7 am (0600 GMT) in 43 constituencies, with 3.1 million eligible to vote, and was to continue until 10 pm (2100 GMT).
The Lisbon Treaty was rejected by the Irish electorate in a first referendum in June 2008, with the "No" side winning 53.4 per cent of the vote.
All the major Irish political parties have been campaigning for a "Yes" vote, with nationalist Sinn Fein the only parliamentary party to oppose the treaty.
Although the final polls showed the "Yes" with a comfortable lead of 55 per cent, there were fears among treaty supporters that the "No" side was gaining ground among the 18 per cent undecided voters.
"We want to get the message out quite c
