WATCH: Minister concedes defeat in Family and Care referendums

A government minister has said he and his colleagues need to take some time to reflect on the outcome of the Family and Care referendums which look likely to be defeated.

Minister of State Kieran O'Donnell made his comments this Saturday afternoon as unofficial tallies across the country are strongly indicating the final results will be a no.

The polls closed at 10pm on Friday and turnout in the two referendums is estimated to have been below 50% - despite a late surge in some locations.

The counting of ballot papers began in local count centres at 9am this Saturday and the national results will be declared at Dublin Castle sometime later this afternoon.

A number of senior government ministers have also conceded defeat ahead of the official declarations.

Speaking at the count centre at Limerick Racecourse, Kieran O'Donnell, the Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, said the decision of the people is clear and must be respected.

"Once the formal outcome is declared, we in government will really have to reflect on why people voted no - there are probably a large number of reasons. Certainly, confusion was an aspect in the decision of people to vote no," he told reporters.

Mr O'Donnell rejected suggestions that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had broken electoral rules by posting a video on social media outside the polling station where he voted on Friday.

He also rejected calls, in some quarters, for Minister Roderic O'Gorman to resign in the wake of certain controversies during the referendum campaign.