LAST UPDATE | 30 Nov
OVER 30 SEATS have been filled but it looks like we could be well into Monday before we have all 174 TDs elected to the next Dáil.
Friday night’s exit poll put Sinn Féin on 21.1%, Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fáil on 19.5% - but it’s looking like FF will exceed that figure by the time all the votes are counted.
Meanwhile, it was a bad day for the Greens – but both Aontú and the Social Democrats will be happy with their performances.
One of the main talking points has been the success of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, who’s still in contention for a seat in Dublin Central.
The Journal had reporters feeding back live updates from multiple count centres throughout Saturday.
This liveblog is now finished for the night. Entries were by Muiris Ó Cearbhaill, Diarmuid Pepper, Lauren Boland and Órla Ryan and The Journal reporters around the country.
First things first, the exit poll.
ICYMI last night, the three biggest parties are all tied on similar support, according to an exit poll commissioned by RTÉ, The Irish Times, TG4, Trinity College Dublin and carried out by Ipsos B&A.
The poll shows Sinn Féin on 21.1%, Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fáil on 19.5%.
It’s important to note that margin of error is plus or minus 1.4%.
The other parties are as follows:
Ipsos interviewed 5,018 people in 253 polling stations across Ireland immediately after they voted yesterday.
A return of coalition based around Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is likely if the exit poll results are borne out tomorrow, our political editor Christina Finn writes.
So now what?
With these figures, and noting the margin of error, it is pretty much deadlock.
“Government formation talks could prove tricky, but there is a path back to power for Simon Harris and Micheál Martin, if they choose it,” Finn writes.
The votes have been cast, but when will we know the results?
After a three-week campaign, the talking is over and the nation has spoken at the ballot box.
However, it will be some time before we know the results of the 2024 general election, Diarmuid Pepper explains here.
There are four extra constituencies and 14 additional Dáil seats up for grabs, compared to 2020.
Close to 700 candidates have been vying for votes across 43 constituencies to fill the 174 seats in what will be the largest ever Dáil Éireann.
We could be facing a slightly longer count than last time as a result.
Voes in the constituency of Limerick City may be determined void before they are even counted, after it emerged candidates names did not appear in alphabetical order on some ballot papers, as required by legislation.
Clarity has been sought as to whether or not the votes will be counted at 9am today after the error on the ballot papers was noticed and first reported by the Limerick Post newspaper.
Section 88 of the Electoral Act 1992 *does* stipulate that candidates must be listed in the ballot in alphabetical order by surname
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) November 29, 2024
Electoral law states that candidates must be listed on the ballot paper in alphabetical order, however Sinn Féin’s Maurice Quinlivan and Dean Quinn (The Irish People) were incorrectly placed ahead of Willie O’Dea (Fianna Fáil) and Elisa O’Donovan (Social Democrats), on some ballot papers.
What might the next Dáil look like? Ireland Votes has compiled some seat projections, based on the Ipsos B%A exit poll.
In their words, “a lot of collaboration” may be needed in the weeks (and months) ahead.
What do our Seat Projections - based on the Ipsos B&A Exit poll data - indicate for government formation?
— Ireland Votes (@Ireland_Votes) November 29, 2024
Well, as you can see, there may be a lot of collaboration needed in the weeks ahead...
Note: we applied a rule of 4 parties or less! https://t.co/anZMLjQUJa pic.twitter.com/VjOt4K1jP1
Here is a round-up of our Voices opinion pieces over the past few days:
Is there anything to be said for some more projections?
The aptly-named Irish Election Projections has this to say about transfers:
Some chatter around the in-party transfer figures in the exit poll and while on surface they look bad for FF and FG, if you adjust for the number of constituencies where they only have one candidate, it works out very similar to GE 2020. pic.twitter.com/GvAqhdsU00
— Irish Election Projections (@irishelectproj) November 30, 2024
In a follow-up post, the group said it “wouldn’t read too much into this at this stage, or the small fluctuations, beyond noting that it is similar to last time round”.
Some more details from the Ipsos B&A exit poll commissioned by RTÉ, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin.
Micheál Martin is most people’s preferred Taoiseach, according to the poll, followed closely by Mary Lou McDonald.
Most people polled (31%) want another FF-FG coalition, but others (22%) want a Sinn Féin-led coalition without FF or FG.
Exit Poll suggests that 35% of respondents want Micheál Martin leading the next government, followed by 34% support for Mary Lou McDonald, with Simon Harris trailing on 27% https://t.co/ymbwClNORP
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 30, 2024
Some 31% of people who took part in the Exit Poll want to see a FF-FG coalition form the next government, followed by 22% who want to see a Sinn Féin-led coalition without FF or FG https://t.co/afZC8mNHYe
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 30, 2024
Has a politician ‘scraped through’ if they were elected in the later counts?
A political scientist from Trinity College Dublin says such a claim is “misleading”.
Gail McElroy told The Journal it doesn’t matter what count you get elected on.
“You get elected or you don’t, it’s not even a conversation which count you get elected on.
“It’s a very disingenuous debate and is irrelevant and misleading.”
Happy Count Day, to all who celebrate.
Happy Count Day. pic.twitter.com/GDNvGgQamG
— Rachael English (@EnglishRachael) November 30, 2024
Pop quiz: Who said this, a staff member at a count centre or Count von Count?
“Greetings! I am The Count. They call me the Count because I love to count things.”
Answers on a postcard, please.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland election special, Minister for Finance Jack Chambers said the outcome is “too close to call at this point”.
Opinion polls in recent days had put his Fianna Fáil party slightly ahead of Fine Gael and Sinn Féin.
However, last night’s exit poll, places FF slight behind SF and FG – although it’s all within the margin of error. (The exit poll puts SF on 21.1%, FG on 21% and FF on 19.5%.)
Speaking this morning, Chambers said his party is awaiting news of the “wider trend” and “regional breakdown”.
The minister said the regional trends will give a better sense of what way the seats will go. He praised Micheál Martin’s “positive” campaign and said FF is hopeful of returning to power.
“We’ve really strong candidates across the country who ran excellent grassroots campaigns.”
Speaking on the same programme, People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett said the exit poll showed that voters’ main concerns are housing, health and cost of living.
A large number of voters also chose the ‘other’ option (6%) when noting their concerns, RBB said he believes many people in this category were referring to Palestine.
“The moving of the dial, from a policy point of view, has actually been in the left direction,” he said.
“Whoever is in power will have to deliver on those things.”
Boyd Barrett said he was “glad” when Sinn Féin asked their voters to give preferences to parties on the left on Wednesday, but he wishes it happened sooner.
“Two days out, to say we’re going to vote, we’re calling for second preferences and third preferences for People Before Profit and the Soc Dems.
“They should have done that earlier. And I think we would have had a different type of dynamic. And even now, I would say the left have to give people a sense of that alternative.”
RBB said the low turnout in many areas indicates some people didn’t see an alternative to Fianna Fáil and/or Fine Gael returning to power.
“The low turnout, lower turnout of working class areas, I suspect among young people, is because they didn’t see a clear alternative to the establishment.”
On Morning Ireland, Jack Chambers wanted to point out the “very clear differences” between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
He said the two parties “worked well together in the last four and a half years in government through very difficult times – Covid and the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine”.
However, he noted: “We ran different campaigns with different priorities and very much a different platform.
“We have emphasis on greater investment in public services, and we didn’t take the same approach when it came to reduction of taxation, for example. So there were very clear differences in policies.”
Some more information from the Ipsos B&A exit poll commissioned by RTÉ, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin.
Almost half of people who said they gave Sinn Féin a first preference vote said housing and homelessness was the most important issue for them.
Health and cost of living were the biggest issues for Fianna Fáil voters, while economic stability, cost of living, and health were the biggest issues for Fine Gael voters.
According to the exit poll, the top three issues for the 1,250 voters questioned were housing/homelessness (28%), cost of living (19%) and health (17%).
The next most important issues were economic stability (9%), immigration (6%), climate change (4%), crime (2%), transport and roads (2%) and childcare (2%).
Some 6% of people listed ‘something else’ as their main concern.
Workers at the RDS in Dublin, and many other count centres around the country, have their hands full this morning:
Speaking on Morning Ireland, Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy, who is looking to retain his seat in the Cavan–Monaghan constituency, said SF could end up being the biggest party.
“We went into these elections with many people predicting our demise. It now appears that we may be the largest political party.
“If we are the largest political party, we will talk to everybody. We will try and create a government without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael,” Carthy said.
Sinn Féin was mired in controversy when the election was called just a few weeks ago. However, the exit poll places them *slightly* ahead of FG and FF (21.1%, 21% and 19.5% respectively).
Carthy said: “The nightmare scenario, as far as I’m concerned, as somebody who has an 18 and a 17 and younger kids at home, the nightmare scenario is Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael returning to government, regardless of what the third leg of the stool is, because what that means is that many people of their generations will be finding work in Australia and Canada and elsewhere.”
Our reporter Emma Hickey is at the RDS count centre in Dublin. Here are some updates from her:
Two tallies from Smithfield in Dublin Central, 15 minutes into the count. Mary Lou McDonald and Paschal Donohoe leading the way pic.twitter.com/xf4XasTAK5
— Emma Hickey (@emma_hickey1) November 30, 2024
Tally of a ballot box from Cabra — Paschal Donohoe, Marie Sherlock and Mary Lou McDonald comfortably ahead #dublincentral #GE24 pic.twitter.com/pGEEavY4li
— Emma Hickey (@emma_hickey1) November 30, 2024
Dublin Bay South will be a very hotly contested constituency.
Speaking about early tallies there, former Labour TD Kevin Humphreys told RTÉ News that Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan “has done very well”.
Many boxes are yet to be opened but, as things stand, Humphreys predicted that Geoghegan will be elected alongside Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan.
Humphreys said he believes the fourth and final seat will go to Sinn Féin’s Chris Andrews or the Green Party’s Hazel Chu.
Of the boxes already opened, Andrews is ahead but Humphreys cautioned that those boxes are from Andrews’ “core” areas where he was expected to do particularly well. Ultimately, it’ll come down to transfers.
Chu is doing “very well” from transfers from the Social Democrats and Labour, Humphreys said.
That seems to be right through the ballot paper – the Greens, Social Democrats and Labour are transferring very heavily to each other.
Kate O’Connell, an independent candidate and former FG TD, is a bit further behind, according to early tallies but boxes in many of her key areas are yet to be opened, Humphreys added.
Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan topped the poll in the DBS constituency in 2020, but is not running this time around.
We’ve another update from Emma Hickey in the RDS:
We’re not long past the first hour of counting here at RDS Simmonscourt, but boxes are being opened left, right and centre.
Dublin Central is a constituency to watch, with a number of high-profile incumbents and high-profile contenders – Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch and former MEP Clare Daly are contesting a seat here, and they’re up against the likes of Mary Lou McDonald, Paschal Donohoe, Gary Gannon and Neasa Hourigan.
Based off initial tallies, McDonald is leading in the constituency, followed by Hutch. Gannon and Donohoe are not far behind.
In Dublin Bay South, 35% of the boxes have been tallied for first preference votes only, and Sinn Féin’s Chris Andrews is leading the way with 21.2% of the current vote count.
Ivana Bacik is next with 14.3%, and just 11 votes behind her is Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan, the current Lord Mayor of Dublin. So far, there are no real surprises in the tallies, but as one tally person said: “The transfers are going to be all over the place.”
I’m here in the Greystones where the Wicklow tallies are underway. It’s gone from a five seater to four, so a dogfight here.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) November 30, 2024
Tallies are weighted towards the west of the county but Harris performing well, as is Soc Dems Jennifer Whitmore.
All eyes on Donnelly here. pic.twitter.com/lcpWkYz9zI
Our political editor Christina Finn is in Greystones, where counting has begun in the Wicklow constituency.
This is, of course, Taoiseach Simon Harris’ constituency. He is expected to retain his seat, but a question mark hangs over the seat of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly (Fianna Fáil).
In Finn’s words, it’ll be a “dogfight”.
In a time-honoured election tradition, someone lost their wedding ring in a ballot box.
Who had their money on Mullingar?
We have a wedding ring! One of the counters Peter Creamer has found a wedding ring in a box from Gael Scoil an Choilin in Mullingar. #GE24 pic.twitter.com/blS6D2bfnE
— RTÉ Longford-Westmeath (@RTElongfordWMH) November 30, 2024
— Brian O'Connell (@oconnellbrian) November 30, 2024
Excellent t-shirt choice by a worker at the Nemo Rangers count centre in Cork.
Another update from Christina Finn, our political editor, in Wicklow:
There’s a heavy media presence here – Sky News, RTÉ, Virgin Media and many well known reporters are all here to watch how the Wicklow constituency plays out.
Speaking to a few tally people – both FF and FG – it’s acknowledged that sitting minister Stephen Donnelly could be in bother. Simon Harris, as to be expected, is coming out on top so far. As one FF person said, transfers between FG and FF will matter hugely for Donnelly.
From what I’ve seen, many people have given Harris their number 1 and Donnelly their number 2 vote.
Predictions from a few people here: Harris, Soc Dems’ Jennifer Whitmore and Sinn Fein’s John Brady should each safely take a seat, but Donnelly will be in a battle for the last seat.
It’ll be interesting to see how many of Harris’ transfers go to running mate Edward Timmons or independent Shay Cullen.
98% boxes tallied #dubc #GeneralElection24 #GE24 pic.twitter.com/MLL5zi3s2n
— RTÉ Dublin Central (@RTEdubCENTRAL) November 30, 2024
Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is performing well in Dublin Central, he’s currently in fourth place (in the four-seater), based on an early tally:
Hutch, a notorious gangland figure, has divided people in the constituency.
Counting is in full swing in Limerick city – despite concerns about the fact the names of some candidates were not listed in alphabetical order (as required by legislation).
And we’re off —counting of votes has started 4 seater Limerick City constituency alphabetical error on the ballot paper acknowledged but Returning officer satisfied that count proceed @rtenews pic.twitter.com/t5FlZsbfeC
— RTÉ Limerick City (@RTElimerickcity) November 30, 2024
Electoral law states that candidates must be listed on the ballot paper in alphabetical order, however Sinn Féin’s Maurice Quinlivan and Dean Quinn (The Irish People party) were incorrectly placed ahead of Willie O’Dea (FF) and Elisa O’Donovan (Social Democrats), on some ballot papers.
My colleague Mairead Maguire has an update on Donegal, another constituency worth watching as counting continues.
She writes:
Donegal is a county with a dispersed electorate, and at this point fewer than 50 of the 267 boxes have been opened so I will preface this analysis with a massive health warning!
With that being said, this is what we know about the five-seat constituency so far. Tallies say:
Sitting Sinn Féin TDs Pearse Doherty and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn are pretty much guaranteed to keep their seats.
Fianna Fáil will likely win at least one seat. This could be the 76-year-old Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher, who is running after a short break from politics. Incumbent TD Charlie McConalogue, who served as Agriculture Minister, could be in trouble, or he could win a second seat for FF.
Still, the last two seats are very much up for grabs. The 100% Redress (Mica) Party candidate Charles Ward is doing well in early tallies. Meanwhile, independent Thomas Pringle, a mainstay of the constituency, can’t be too confident just yet. It really is too early to tell.
There’s a chance that Sinn Féin’s third candidate, Noel Jordan, could also win a seat.
It’s not looking good for either of the two Fine Gael candidates – but with only 20% of boxes open and an uneven geographical spread, it’s all to play for.
Speaking of Donegal, another wedding ring has been found in a ballot box (the other ring was found in Mullingar earlier).
We found a wedding ring among the ballots in Donegal. 🗳💍😆 More details on https://t.co/MViqsbauLm #GE24 pic.twitter.com/zy7u9ZHbDC
— Mark Tighe (@MarkLTighe) November 30, 2024
Voting is not without its risks, kids.
And speaking of lost things, our colleague Nicky Ryan is also missing some deeply sentimental personal items.
Brought several loving but venomous pet snakes with me while voting yesterday, just realised I haven't seen them since! Can the count centre staff PLEASE keep an eye out for them in the ballot boxes
— Nicky Ryan (@NickyRyan_) November 30, 2024
Unsurprisingly, the Healy-Rae brothers are polling well in Kerry.
With 69 of 260 boxes opened, Michael is on 23% of first preference votes while Danny is on 14.5%.
Pa Daly of Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil’s Norma Foley are both on 13%.
As it stands, the four incumbent TDs are likely to be re-elected.
Fianna Fáil in the hunt for a second seat in Kerry afterall at the expense of Fine Gael - with Michael Cahill and Billy O’Shea running neck and neck on 10%
— Barry Lenihan (@BarryLenihan) November 30, 2024
With 25% boxes tallied favouring rural areas in North Kerry but transfers likely to favour Cahill
4 incumbents hold
More than 60% of boxes have been tallied in Cork North Central.
Here’s the latest tally:
Early tallies in Cork South Central place Tánaiste Micheál Martin out in front (but all boxes are yet to be opened):
Outgoing People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith (Dublin South-Central) said there is an alternative left alliance to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, but other left parties had “failed to pull that together”.
Speaking to RTÉ News, Smith said: “You had Mary Lou McDonald calling for ‘vote left, transfer left’ in the last two days of the campaign, you had the Social Democrats’ Gary Gannon saying something similar and Joan Collins saying something similar in the last week.
“We have been saying this for months and months, we wrote to all the left parties and all the left independents and asked them to do a ‘vote left, transfer left’ pact and got no responses – and the failure of the left is much to their shame.”
Smith added she is “delighted” to see PBP’s Hazel De Nortúin tallying at around 12% in Dublin South-Central.
Speaking to our political editor Christina Finn in Wicklow, Sinn Féin’s John Brady said a trend is “starting to emerge” as boxes continue to be opened in the constituency.
He said SF has done “extremely well” in Wicklow and nationally, based on the exit poll and early tallies.
Had a quick chat with Sinn Féin’s John Brady on how the day is shaping up. pic.twitter.com/9UJ9GW2SpZ
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) November 30, 2024
Another update from Wicklow…
🗳️ Next hour or so will be critical for the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. At 6.4% with over 40% of boxes tallied the seat may be slipping away.
— Ireland Votes (@Ireland_Votes) November 30, 2024
Thanks for staying with us so far today, I’m now going to hand you over to my colleague Lauren Boland.
Afternoon! Lauren Boland here.
If you’re just joining us now, here’s the state of play:
*One seat has technically been filled – the Ceann Comhaire, who is not allowed to engage in politics, is automatically re-elected. That’s Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl this time around.
It’s been a difficult election for the Green Party.
Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has called it a disappointing result and expects the party will only receive two or three seats, which would be a marked fall from the 12 seats it has held since the last election in 2020.
Our reporter Emma Hickey at the RDS count centre says Neasa Hourigan is en route to lose her seat in Dublin Central and Ossian Smyth has fallen behind in Dun Laoghaire.
In O’Gorman’s five-seater constituency of Dublin West, where 97% of the ballot boxes have been opened, he is currently in fifth place in terms of first-preference votes. However, transfers could still change that as the rounds of counting play out.
In Cork, Michael McGrath – the incoming EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law and former Fianna Fáil finance minister – said it is important that the new government is a stable one.
Speaking to the PA news agency at the Nemo Rangers count centre in Cork, he said: “I hope it is a stable government that has the prospect of lasting the five years because of the challenges we are facing in Ireland and throughout the European Union.”
“Let’s allow the picture to emerge over the days ahead.”
McGrath was at the count centre in support of his brother, Councillor Seamus McGrath, who is running in Michael’s former constituency of Cork South Central.
“I’m here to do what he did for me for about 25 years,” (Michael) McGrath said.
Some unpleasant news that may not come as a surprise for anyone in touch with the current political climate: at least 55 incidents of politically motivated violence, threats, harassment, targeting and smears against political candidates or their canvassers have been documented in the weeks leading up to the general election.
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which studies extremism, hate and disinformation, and the Hope and Courage Collective, a civil society organisation working against hate and extremism, have released a joint investigation on violent activity identified in the five-week period ahead of the general election.
Roderic O’Gorman, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Monica Peres Oikeh, Mary Lou McDonald, Paul Murphy, Umar Al-Qadri, Mary Butler, Pearse Doherty and Helen McEntee were among the candidates who were targeted by hate or harassment.
You can read more about the investigation in this article on The Journal.
Cork North Central has now completed its tally.
Padraig O’Sullivan of Fianna Fáil is topping the tally with 13.2% of first preferences, followed closely by Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould.
Ken O’Flynn of Independent Ireland is on 9.8%, Fine Gael’s Colm Burke is almost on par on 9.7%, and Fianna Fáil’s second candidate Tony Fitzgerald is next on 7%.
Mick Barry of People Before Profit received 6% on the tally and Eoghan Kenny of Labour received 5.6%.
There were 21 candidates in total on this constituency’s ballot – many of them received less than 5%, or even less than 2% or 3%, of first preferecces.
The quota for the constituency is expected to be 9,509.
No candidate appears to have reached that (O’Sullivan is on 7,470 first preferences, according to the tally), so it’ll likely take a couple of poorly performing candidates being eliminated before a seat is filled.
What does a count centre look like? Some behind the scenes photos of the RDS in Dublin and Shoreline Leisure Cenre in Wicklow today. Photos by Leon Farrell and Sasko Lazarov of Rollingnews.ie.
Aisling Redden is reporting from the count centre for Dublin Rathdown.
She says it’s fairly calm there for now after the morning rush to open the ballot boxes. From the tally, Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) is set to maintain his seat with 20.5% of the vote. His Fine Gael partner Maeve O’Connell is at 13%.
Meanwhile, Shay Brennan (FF) looks fairly steady at 12%.
Sinéad Gibney (Social Democrats) is at 8.7%, just ahead of Catherine Martin (Green Party) at 8.5%.
Gibney could benefit from potential transfer votes from Labour’s Lettie McCarthy who is trailing at 6.2%.
But competition for the fourth seat will be fierce, with Independent candidate Michael Fleming at 8.9% while Shaun Tracy (Sinn Féin) is on 7.2%.
You’d almost forget in all this that there was big, non-election, happy news yesterday for Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to her first child.
President Michael D. Higgins has offered his congratulations.
Every health and happiness to @HollyCairnsTD and Barry on the birth of their baby girl
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) November 30, 2024
Megan O’Brien is reporting for us at the count for the Dublin South-West constituency.
Work is quietly continuing at the Weston Airport count centre, Megan reports.
No candidate has appeared to reached the quota yet on the tally but Sinn Féin’s Sean Crowe is well in the lead on 14.85%. Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy follows on 12.69% and Fianna Fáil’s John Lahart on 12.39%.
It’s not looking good for the Social Democrats, Green Party or Aontú here, Megan says, as Labour’s Ciarán Ahern, People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy and Fianna Fáil’s Teresa Costello shape up to be in contention for seats.
Stephen Donnelly is in trouble.
The Fianna Fáil health minister has a fight on his hands to try to hold his seat in Wicklow, writes politics editor Christina Finn.
The constituency has gone from a five to a four seater, meaning that at least one of its sitting TDs cannot be re-elected.
Donnelly has 6.3% of the vote share, according the latest tally, which has got through 126 of the 158 boxes.
He’s in fourth place right now but hot on his heels is Independent Shay Cullen with 5.8% of the vote, followed by Fine Gael’s Edward Timmins with 5.4% and Independent Joe Behan with 4.9%.
At the count for the Dún Laoghaire constituency, Elizabeth Rymut reports that the count centre has its final tally in.
Jennifer Carroll MacNeil (Fine Gael) is leading the poll at 21.05%, with Barry Ward likely to take a second seat for Fine Gael, Elizabeth says.
Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit could also likely reclaim his seat, as could Cormac Devlin of Fianna Fáil to fill the constituency’s four seats.
We’ve just published an episode of our politics podcast The Candidate, with Christine Bohan (in studio) and Christina Finn (in her car).
They’ve identified one big question that’s hanging over the results so far: is it still viable for parties to refuse to consider Sinn Féin as a coalition partner?
Listen now (and subscribe) wherever you get your podcasts.
Emma Whitney is in the count centre for Roscommon-Galway for us this afternoon.
It’s the constituency where Michael Fitzmaurice is running, the former independent TD who recently founded the Independent Ireland party.
Emma reports that a member of his campaign team at the count centre seems hopeful. “You’re always a bit worried when pounding the doors but (…) the people have stood by Michael Fitzmaurice and it’s very obvious that people appreciate the work that he’s doing, especially the rural and farming community,” they said.
“We’re looking at a time when rural Ireland, all over the west, is in a state of crisis and little towns and villages are being lost – the doors are closed and the windows are fogged up (…) Towns can only survive if the rural hinterland around it is prospering,” the team member said.
Meanwhile, Malachy Hand, the president of Fianna Fáil’s Roscommon South branch, said he feels that candidate Martin Daly has polled very strongly and ran a good campaign, but ultimately it will come down to transfers and eliminations of other candidates.
Steven Fox is at a count centre in Mallow.
In the tally for Cork East, Fianna Fáil’s James O’Connor and Fine Gael’s Mark Stanton are currently leading the pack but neither are over the quota, Steven reports.
Sinn Féin’s Pat Buckley and Social Democrats candidate Liam Quaide are tight behind.
In Cork South West, Michael Collins of Independent Ireland is on 23.5%, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns is on 20% and Fianna Fáil’s Christopher O’Sullivan is close behind on 19.2%.
Sinn Féin’s two candidates aren’t doing too well here with just 2.8% and 1.8% each.
Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has arrived at the RDS count centre.
Ryan himself isn’t running in this election, leaving a seat up for grabs in his former constituency of Dublin Bay South.
Fianna Fáíl’s Darragh O’Brien is showing a clear majority for Fingal East, with 23.1% of first preference votes in the completed tally, reports Alice O’Leary, who’s on the ground at its count centre.
Coming shortly behind is Sinn Féin’s Ann Graves at 14.4%, Labour’s Duncan Smith at 14.3% and Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell at 14.2% – the fight is on for the second and third seat in this new three-seat constituency, Alice reports.
Turnout in the new constituency was 60.2%.
Nearby, at the tally for Fingal West, Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly is leading with 23.2% of the votes. Rob O’Donoghue of Labour sits at 16.2%, with Fine Gael’s Grace Boland at 15.4%, Alice reports.
Turnout is slightly lower than neighbouring Fingal East – just 56.76% here.
After a busy morning in Carlow-Kilkenny, around three-quarters of the boxes are opened. Fianna Fáil’s Jennifer Murnane O’Connor and John McGuinness are topping the count at the moment, reports Rachel Holden, who’s on the ground for us at Loreto Secondary School in Jamespark.
Cork native and The Journal News Correspondent Niall O’Connor is at the count centre for Cork South Central and Cork North Central.
He says the centre is expecting its first count result at around 6pm. Full count will take about two days.
Good afternoon from Cork South Central and Cork North Central count centre. Counting underway.
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
I spoke briefly to returning officer Martin Harvey who tells me full count will take two days. First count result at around 6pm-ish. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/mrFFpcm5JQ
In Dún Laoghaire, Elizabeth Rymut reports that the count centre expects a first count result by this evening. Here’s what the scenes look like around the centre, which is focused and filled with the sounds of shuffling and knocking papers:
There’s plenty of media at the count centre for Dublin West but no big news just yet, reports Megan O’Brien.
The returning officer told The Journal that spoiled votes are still being removed.
It’s looking good for outgoing Minister for Finance Jack Chambers a tally published at 12:01pm that put him on 22%.
Fine Gael Senator Emer Currie may be able to win a seat as she’s on 15% but Sinn Féin’s Paul Donnelly sits just ahead of her on 17%.
Supporters of Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman may be cautiously optimistic, as the tally puts him fifth on 7%, just behind People Before Profit’s Ruth Coppinger (8%).
The Journal Politics Correspondent Jane Matthews is at the RDS, where she’s been hearing from both outgoing Green TD Eamon Ryan and… filmmaker Jim Sheridan, who spoke about Gerry Hutch’s run and says he’s thinking about making a documentary about this election.
Eamon Ryan has arrived at the RDS.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 30, 2024
He says there is now a risk of the political system reading the Greens poor performance as a message not to go so strong on public transport or reducing emissions.
He warns that this would be the wrong direction for the country. pic.twitter.com/7G5WIXNK81
Director Jim Sheridan on what he thinks Gerry “the monk” Hutch’s appeal is.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 30, 2024
Sheridan said he is “thinking” of doing a documentary on this election and that at the beginning, he didn’t think Hutch had a chance.
@thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/omXmCiZraR
Sinéad Gibney of the Social Democrats says she is “thrilled” with the result so far in Dublin Rathdown, with this morning’s tally showing her at 8.7% of the vote – but it will be a close race for one of the four seats up for grabs, reports Aisling Redden.
The hustle and bustle is back in Carlow-Kilkenny, Loreto Secondary School, as we near the end of the count with 93% of boxes counted. John McGuinness (Fianna Fáil) is now leading with 13% and Jennifer Murnane O’Connor (Fianna Fáil) following with 12%, reports Rachel Holden.
There was a brief interruption to counting at the Dun Laoghaire centre, reports Elizabeth Rymut, as the fire alarm starting blaring unexpectedly.
Most people remained inside the building as the alarm sounded until all except count staff were asked to move outside.
The fire alarm has started blaring at the Dun Laoghaire count centre. pic.twitter.com/4GmzLFpjlV
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Shortly after media and others were moved out of the building, the alarm stopped and attendees were allowed back inside.
The alarm is no longer ringing but there’s certainly a new boost of energy in the room now after the bit of excitement to break up the count-watching, Elizabeth says.
There is a definite buzz in the air as the count continues at The National Show Centre for Dublin Fingal East and West, Alice O’Leary tells us.
In Fingal East: Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien is ‘soaring’ at a tally of 8,756 – with expectations he will soon reach the quota. Sinn Féin’s Ann Graves follows behind at 14.4%, with Labour’s Duncan Smith and Alan Farrell of Fine Gael sitting closely together at 14.3% and 14.2%, respectively.
I mentioned earlier that Michael McGrath of Fianna Fáil, who has recently become an EU Commissioner, is at the Cork South Central count to support his brother Seamus, who’s looking to replace him in the constituency.
Niall O’Connor has spoken to Michael McGrath:
I spoke to Michael McGrath here. His brother Seamus looks safe for a seat in Cork South Central. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/0JEretoX6q
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
After 45 years as a local councillor, William ‘Willie’ Aird is on course to be elected as a TD in Laois.
Aird is currently in the lead in the constituency – ahead of two sitting TDs, Seán Fleming and Brian Stanley – as counting continues.
Órla Ryan has written a report about his bid for the Dáil on The Journal - including the reason why he hasn’t ran before.
We’ve talked a fair bit about the Wicklow constituency, where sitting minister Stephen Donnelly has a fight ahead of him if he wants to try to keep his seat. Here’s what the state of play looks like with the tally fully… tallied.
In Dublin Central, the constituency of Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is very much in with a chance of winning one of its four seats.
The tally of its first preference votes has Hutch in fourth place on 9.3%.
He’s up against high-profile candidates. Not only McDonald, who is on 19.4% in tallies, but also Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael (16.6%) and Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats (13.2%).
Labour’s Marie Sherlock, Green Neasa Hourigan, Independent Malachy Steenson and Independent for Change candidate Clare Daly were all also running in this constituency.
So how did Hutch break through?
My colleague Mairead Maguire has written more about that in this article on The Journal.
Gráinne Ní Aodha of the PA news agency (a former reporter for The Journal - hi Gráinne!) has the scoop on the count staffer snapped wearing a t-shirt saying ‘Maybe I Like This Misery’.
Photos of count staffer Cian O'Connor are getting a bit of attention today. A lovely man who gets his cool tshirts from the Cork-based business @HairyBabyTees.
— Gráinne Ní Aodha (@GNiAodha) November 30, 2024
Here's an interview we did with him in June, complete with more count-appropriate fits... https://t.co/96ZSFcieL5 pic.twitter.com/w54XQ5zXJ4
Elizabeth Rymut reports the bustle has slowed down a little in Dun Laoghaire as an announcement about the result of the first count is expected to come soon.
Emma Whitney has been speaking to a member of Claire Kerrane’s (Sinn Féin) campaign team at the count centre for Roscommon-Galway.
On Kerrane’s chances of election, the team member feels they are “pretty good”, though Independent Ireland’s Michael Fitzmaurice appears on track to take the first seat.
“Claire may get some transfers to push her forward across the line from some of the smaller candidates being eliminated. The likes of People Before Profit’s transfers would likely transfer to Sinn Féin, as well as some transfers from Dympna Daly-Finn in the north of Roscommon,” the team member said.
The first count announcement for this constituency is expected to come in around 7pm, Emma reports.
Reporter Eoghan Dalton has the latest for us from Wexford:
The first full tally here showed Independent Verona Murphy in the clear with 21% of the vote. Fianna Fáil’s James Browne followed with 16%, while Sinn Fein’s Johnny Mythen and Labour’s George Lawlor were level on 14%.
There are four seats available in Wexford but Fine Gael may be struggling to get either of its candidates over the line. Cathal Byrne is on 9.5% and running mate Bridín Murphy is on 6%. Coming in between them is Aontú’s Jim Codd on 7%.
However, transfers may yet play a role in deciding those final seats.
The first count is not expected until 6pm this evening, with some thinking the count could easily go into tomorrow night.
Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould speaking to Niall O’Connor at the Cork North Central count:
Deputy Thomas Gould in Cork North Central looks set to retain his seat on the tallies so far. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/JPH3Bsq0KM
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
With 100% of boxes counted in the final tally for Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fáil will be rather happy with the outcome.
John McGuinness of Fianna Fáil is at the top of the polls with 14% of first preferences, closely followed by his running mates Jennifer Murnane O’Connor and Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere, reports Rachel Holden.
Fine Gael’s Catherine Callaghan follows behind along with Sinn Féin’s Áine Gladney Knox. Still a long night ahead at the count centre.
Mallow’s returning officer says that the Cork East count is expected at 6pm, Cork South West at 7pm, and Cork North West soon after, reports Steven Fox.
No candidates are likely to be elected on first count but the returning officer is hoping to have all the seats herre filled by the end of the night.
Some back-and-forth at the Dublin West count over spoiled votes, Megan O’Brien reports.
The candidates and their agents are meeting with the returning officer to debate the spoiled votes. Some could be clawed back by parties, while others will be disregarded. Adjudication on that is due in the next hour or so.
Duty calls: Labour candidate George Lawlor has to duck out of the count centre for a few, Eoghan Dalton reports, explaining that as Mayor of Wexford he has to turn on the Christmas lights for the town.
He says it will “hopefully” be one of his last acts as in the office as Lawlor is on course to take a seat here in Wexford based on an initial cross-party tally, writes Eoghan.
Lawlor is currently neck and neck with Sinn Fein’s Johnny Mythen to fill the final two seats – both are on 14%. The two are ahead of Fine Gael’s Cathal Byrne but transfers may yet play a role in deciding those final seats.
Speaking from a gym-cum-media-centre at the Wexford count, Lawlor told The Journal that he is optimistic that Fine Gael’s Cathal Byrne, on 9%, won’t be aable to make up the ground to catch him. Around 2,250 votes separate Labour and Fine Gael according to that initial tally.
If successful then Lawlor – who has been working as outgoing TD Brendan Howlin’s parliamentary assistant in the Dáil – will ensure Labour continues to hold a seat that it has held in Wexford since 1922.
We have a count result!
Fingal West has announced the result of its first count.
No candidate has reached the quota. Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly is the closest and is expected to ultimately take the first seat.
Four candidates have been eliminated on the first count: Ben Gilroy of Liberty Republic (417 votes), John Oakes of the Irish Freedom Party (392 votes), Mark Joseph Parsons of Irish People (157 votes) and Independent Oghenetano John Uwhumiakpor (155 votes).
As well as our liveblog, you can keep track of who’s in and who’s out with our Results Centre.
Here’s how it looks for the top players in Dublin Fingal West.
Over in Fingal East, Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien led the tally with 23.1%, coming in just shy of the quota. He has arrived at the count centre.
Darragh O'Brien arrives to The National Show Centre to cheers and applause from Fianna Fáil supporters and family members. He is expected to top the poll. pic.twitter.com/kdlnSdV7FP
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Back in Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill is expected to be elected on the first count, which should be announced soon.
She has arrived at the count centre, reports Elizabeth Rymut, to await the results with her family. Her son is checking in on the Ireland-Australia rugby game.
Another count result, this time from Meath West, but no one elected just yet.
The first count in Meath West is in.
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 30, 2024
No candidate has reached the quota, but Sinn Féin TD Johnny Guirke tops the poll #GE2024
Full results here: https://t.co/wSZBIT7bOz pic.twitter.com/e1TjbnQpGK
BREAKING: We have our first election of the day.
Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill reached the quota in Dún Laoghaire and has been elected, taking the first of its four seats.
The quota was 11,135 and MacNeill topped it with a few hundred votes to spare, securing 11,685 first preferences.
Her surplus of 551 will be redistributed to her voters’ second preferences. Her running mate Barry Ward, currently in third place, could pick up some of those, though he’ll have to face a few more counts yet on only 8,337 so far.
In second place currently is Fianna Fáil’s Cormac Devlin, who received 8,831 votes in the first count.
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion has arrived at the Carlow-Kilkenny count centre in Loreto Secondary School to support candidates Áine Gladney Knox and Natasha Newsome Drennan, reports Rachel Holden.
And over in Cork, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is hopeful of a positive outcome for the party and for himself.
A doorstep with Tánaiste Mícheál Martin. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/XfJmIgndQi
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Also in Cork, reporter Steven Fox has shared an ominous message: “Mallow has started to leak.”
Former Labour leader Brendan Howlin thinks Labour and the Social Democrats should form a ‘negotiating bloc’ in coalition talks.
Former Labour leader and outgoing TD Brendan Howlin says the “first port of call" when seats are finalised should be for his party to speak to the Social Democrats to form a "formidable negotiating bloc" in any coalition talks. #GE24 pic.twitter.com/8pFVHUa7LC
— Eoghan Dalton (@EoghanDalton) November 30, 2024
After the results announcement in Dún Laoghaire, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was surrounded by cheering supporters and embraced her son and other family members, Elizabeth Rymut reports at the scene.
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill hugs her family and friends as she's announced as the first TD to be elected #GE2024 pic.twitter.com/QRQXH5x9o9
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Megan O’Brien reports from Dublin West: Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman looking slightly stressed ahead of the first count announcement. He’s fighting to hold his seat in Dublin West, possibly scrapping with People Before Profit’s Ruth Coppinger, Labour’s John Walsh, and Aontú’s Ellen Troy.
About that Mallow leak situation: Steven Fox has more details for us.
The latest from the Mallow count centre: the ceiling is currently leaking.
— Stiofáin Ó Sionnaigh (@StiofainS) November 30, 2024
3 leaks counted, but no ballots affected as of yet.
More as I have it. pic.twitter.com/yge2qoYIk3
Chaotic scenes at the RDS count centre as Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald arrives.
Chaos in the RDS as Mary Lou McDonald and Sinn Féin arrive.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 30, 2024
She says her party has been given a strong mandate and have had an “incredible” performance in this election, something she says people didn’t think possible a few weeks ago.
@thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/Gx6L6eYRNu
We have another TD elected.
Fine Gael has won a second seat – this one by Patrick O’Donovan in Limerick County.
He was elected on the first count with 28.7% of first preference votes.
Turns out election results are like buses: you spend ages waiting for one and then two (Fine Gael) ones arrive at once.
Is that? Could it be?
The obligatory pizza order has finally arrived at The Journal HQ.
It’s been a long day, lads.
Back to business. Aisling Redden reports that Catherine Martin of the Green Party has spoken to media at the count centre in Dublin-Rathdown, describing today as “disappointing” for the Greens but says they are “still in contention here”.
Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers has arrived at the count centre for Dublin West, where he’s on track to be re-elected.
@jackfchambers has arrived at the Dublin West count centre to cheerful applause ahead of the first count announcement.
— Megan O'Brien (@MeganOBrien1997) November 30, 2024
He’s set to top the polls and become one of the first @fiannafailparty TDs elected today. @thejournal_ie #GeneralElection24 #GE24 pic.twitter.com/IPuzA8cSvN
In Fingal West, Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly tells us she’s honoured by the high level of support she’s garnered.
Louise O'Reilly of Sinn Féin says she is "very honoured" with her high result in Fingal West's first count and is optimistic that the party will perform well across the country today. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/k4NjgVIzoK
— Alice O'Leary (@olearyalice) November 30, 2024
Dublin Bay South has just announced the results of its first count.
No candidate has reached the quota so the lowest candidates have been eliminated (Independents David Hennessy and John Dominic Keigher and Irish People’s Lauralee Doyle).
Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan is leading there, followed by Labour’s Ivana Bacik.
They’re rolling in now: In the new constituency of Wicklow-Wexford, the first count has seen Independent Ilse-Maria Nolan and Independent Ireland’s Frances Lawlor eliminated. Fine Gael’s Brian Brennan is leading so far with 8,820 but Fianna Fáil’s Malcolm Byrne isn’t far behind with 8,311.
A similar story in Offaly: Aontú candidate Maureen Ward has been eliminated on the first count. Independent Carol Nolan is leading with 8,282 votes.
Independent Verona Murphy, leading the ballot in Wexford, has arrived at the count centre.
A raft of TDs have been arriving here as we await the result of the first count.
Independent Verona Murphy – who is expected to top the poll – was met by a few dozen supporters and family members at the count entrance #GE24 #wexford pic.twitter.com/xsUnPrpzih
— Eoghan Dalton (@EoghanDalton) November 30, 2024
Sinn Féin has won its first seat of this election: David Cullinane has been re-elected in Waterford.
Cullinane received 11,936 first preferences (22.2%).
We’ve also had the results of the first count in Dublin Central, where Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald is very close to the quota – just 162 votes away.
Dublin Central: No candidate has been elected on the first count.
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald tops the poll and is just shy of the quota by 162 votes.
Full results here: https://t.co/NszgeabJUo pic.twitter.com/TkVuXIrgX8
Eoghan Dalton in Wexford reports that Fianna Fáil’s outgoing junior minister James Browne said he wasn’t phased by last night’s exit poll showing Fianna Fáil behind Sinn Féin and Fine Gael, pointing to it showing that all the major parties were within the margin of error.
“And I think what we’re seeing is that margin of error coming into play a little bit,” said Browne, who is on course to handily retain his seat.
In Cork, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has been speaking to reporters, including our own Niall O’Connor.
Martin believes there is a “clear route back to Government” for Fianna Fáil.
Responding to a question on the fall in support for the Green Party vote, he suggested that the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath has impacted this election.
“I think the Green Party made a very positive contribution to Government,” Martin said. “I think some good, constructive, positive policies emerged from the last government… I think the last government had to weather very significant external shocks from Covid-19 and I think the long shadow of Covid is over this election too.”
The Tánaiste said he believes that the cost of living crisis has its root in the pandemic.
“I’ll always remember Angela Merkel saying at the commencement of Covid, she equated it to a world war in terms of its long term impacts on politics, society and so on,” he said.
“That probably hasn’t been analysed to the degree that it should, but if you look at the cost of living crisis, it has its genesis within Covid.”
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald is doing well in Dublin Central and will likely be the first candidate elected in the constituency.
However, she has received fewer votes than she did in 2020 – 6,389 first preferences compared to 11,223 in 2020.
In 2020, she didn’t have a running mate. This time, she does – Sinn Féin Councillor Janice Boylan. However, it appears the decrease in McDonald’s votes can’t all be attributed to a split Sinn Féin vote; Boylan is on 1,267.
The rate of first and even second and third counts is picking up now. We’ll let you know here when candidates are elected and other highlights but you can follow every twist and turn of each count in full on our Results Centre.
Fingal East has announced its third count. Darragh O’Brien continues to top the votes at 8,913 – inching nearer the quota for a seat, reports Alice O’Leary.
Ann Graves of Sinn Féin’s follows behind at 5,466. There’s just a handful of votes between Labour’s Duncan Smith and Alan Farrell of Fine Gael with 5,424 and 5,386 votes respectively.
Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien gives his reaction to The Journal as he tops the third count for Fingal East and inches closer to retaining a seat with 8,913 votes. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/ISu7iwBvqd
— Alice O'Leary (@olearyalice) November 30, 2024
Verona Murphy has become the first independent candidate to win a seat in this election, re-elected on the first count in Wexford.
Two more Sinn Féin candidates have crossed the line: Eoin Ó Broin on the first count in Dublin Mid-West and Paul Donnelly on the first count in Dublin West.
Also elected in Dublin West on the first count was Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers.
Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin has topped the poll and been elected on the first count in Dublin Mid-West. #dubmidw #dubmw #dmw #ge24 pic.twitter.com/95abSxfkE3
— RTÉ Dublin Mid-West (@RTEdubMIDWEST) November 30, 2024
Micheál Martin has just been re-elected in Cork South-Central.
Here’s how things were looking there moments ago…
The scene as Mícheál Martin to be elected here shortly in Cork South Central. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/BpDlfnZA3n
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Footage from the Dublin West count as two candidates were elected on the first count:
2 seats have been filled for Dublin West on the first count.
— Megan O'Brien (@MeganOBrien1997) November 30, 2024
Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers received 9,446 votes and Sinn Féin’s Paul Donnelly received 7,731.
The quota was 7,373 @thejournal_ie #GE24 #GeneralElection24 pic.twitter.com/jcN7gj0meV
A delighted Micheál Martin has been thanking his team of canvassers at Nemo Rangers.
“It was hard for them as their candidate was off touring the country,” the Fianna Fáil leader told reporters.
The moment Tánaiste Mícheál Martin elected in Cork South Central. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/6aCHJtr4V6
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
That’s it from myself, Lauren Boland, for today. Thanks to everyone who’s been following along – I’m passing you over now to my colleague Muiris Ó Cearbhaill.
Good evening!
Counts are coming in thick-and-fast, but our team is across it all as it comes in.
Earlier we reported that Verona Murphy became the first Independent candidate to be elected in Wexford. Our reporter Eoghan Dalton has shared the exact figures on his X account:
Result of first count in #Wexford
— Eoghan Dalton (@EoghanDalton) November 30, 2024
Quota: 10,502. Four seats.
Verona Murphy Ind 11,340
James Browne FF 8596
Mythen SF 7633
Lawlor Lab 7228
Cathal Byrne FG 4891
Codd Aontu 3775
Murphy FG 2997
Sheehan Ind 1623
Wallace Ind 1615 @thejournal_ie
Dispatch in from Alice O’Leary, who is out in the National Show Centre where votes for Fingal East and West are being counted.
She tells me that the arena is “abuzz” with energy.
Take a look for yourself:
Alex Cunningham reports from Adamstown, where votes for Dublin Mid-West are being counted:
Incumbent People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny could be in deep trouble following the first count in Dublin Mid-West.
Having picked up just 5.3% of first preferences, Kenny will likely be relying on transfers from Sinn Féin and other left-leaning candidates.
In 2020, Kenny had conceded defeat after the first count, only to pick up an enormous among of transfers throughout the night – and snatch a seat from Fianna Fáil TD John Curran.
Whether this feat can be achieved again is still up for debate.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman is anxious over his party’s performance today. He told RTÉ News this evening that he believes his party will get two or three seats, a huge drop from the outgoing twelve.
While it is the story of the day, things could be looking better for O’Gorman after managing to slot into fifth place after the first count.
Jack Chambers of Fianna Fáil is likely to have his surplus transferred to running mate Lorna Nolan.
Sinn Féin’s Paul Donnelly’s surplus is likely to be transferred to his running mate Breda Hanaphy. Once both surplus’ are dispersed, it’s likely O’Gorman will become a transfer-friendly candidate in Dublin West.
Megan O’Brien, who’s out there for The Journal today, could go back to the Dáil “by the skin of his teeth” she tells me.
After the second count at Dún Laoghaire, no other candidate has reached the quota.
Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was the first person to be elected after topping the poll in the constituency earlier this evening.
Alice O’Leary reports from Fingal in Dublin
The third could has come in at Fingal East.
Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien continues to lead with 8,919 votes.
Ann Graves of Sinn Féin and Labour’s Duncan Smith stand 60 votes apart with 5,490 and 5,430, respectively.
Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell finds himself falling slightly behind at 5,389 votes.
Victoria Byrne of the Irish Freedom Party received the lowest votes this time round with 675 and therefore is eliminated and her votes will be transferred over.
The fourth count is now underway.
After the second count at Dublin Central, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald is just 41 votes off the quota of 6,551.
McDonald managed to pick up 121 votes from Centre Party candidate Andrew Kelly, who was eliminated after the first round.
It is now very likely that the Sinn Féin leader will be elected after the next count, as her running mate – Janice Boylan – has just been eliminated.
Now to Louth, where journalists have been looking at for many weeks.
Twenty-four candidates are vying for five seats up in the Wee county. After the first count, it does not look good for many as Sinn Féin have sweeped the floor with the candidates.
Incumbent Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú is in pole position with 8,728 votes – just short of the quota as 10,623. His running mate, Joanna Byrne, is in second at 8,169 votes.
Labour TD Ged Nash is poised to be re-elected as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are likely to battle it out for the fourth and fifth seat.
Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers has told Megan O’Brien at Weston Airport that he would be “happy to play any role he’s asked to play if his party forms a government”.
He managed to retain his seat in the first count for Dublin West but it remains to be seen whether or not he will once again have the Finance portfolio.
Friends and family cheered him on as the returning officer read out the results. His surplus of 2,073 first preference votes will now be redistributed.
Meanwhile, our news correspondent Niall O’Connor managed to snap this shot of Micheál Martin being hoisted above in the air as his supporters and team celebrate his win in Cork South-Central.
Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said there has not “been a Sinn Féin surge or anything like it” as he spoke to reporters in Co Wicklow tonight.
Speaking for the first time today, the Taoiseach says what he has seen is a “very close and very competitive election”, but rejected any idea that Sinn Féin have managed to boost their popularity with the electorate since 2020.
“I mean, it looks likely, on the figures that we’ve seen now, fewer people, many fewer people would have voted Sinn Féin in this election than the last one.
“In fact, I think they’re down by around 5% and actually the parties, particularly the two parties, the two larger parties in government, are likely to receive significant support from the electorate. So definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented.”
Harris thanked voters for the mandate they have given him and his party, adding that he is feeling “cautiously optimistic” this evening. He said he is very grateful to the people who have trusted his party.
“I think anybody who makes any suggestion about who is going to be the largest party or the construct of the next government, they’re a braver person than I am.
“Our electoral system dictates that there’ll be many, many transfers that will go on for hours, if not days, before we know the final computations at all.
“But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead, and I’m cautiously optimistic and excited.”
From Eoghan Dalton in Wexford:
The results of the first count in Wexford have seen Verona Murphy confirmed as joining the next Dáil – but who will join her?
James Browne of Fianna Fáil is ahead of the chasing pack with 8,596 – 16.2% of the total vote – and he is looking to reach the quota of 10,502.
The real contest is expected to take place for the final two seats, between Sinn Féin’s Johnny Mythen on 7,633 votes, or 14.4%, and Labour’s George Lawlor around 400 votes behind him with 13.6% of the total vote.
Fine Gael are hoping that Enniscorthy councillor Cathal Byrne can retain the seat previously held by Paul Kehoe. Byrne has 9.2% of the vote with 4,891 first preferences.
However some in the party are conceding that Byrne will need to do very well on transfers to make up the gap of 2,337 votes currently between him and Lawlor.
His party colleague Bridin Murphy has 2,997 votes, but there would need to be an incredibly strong transfer rate to give him a chance to catch Lawlor and avoid missing out on a seat here for the first time since the 1920s.
Louise O’Reilly of Sinn Féin has been re-elected to the first seat in Fingal West.
Our political correspondent, Jane Matthews, is down at the RDS in Dublin.
She spoke to Social Democrats’ Dublin Central candidate Gary Gannon between counts.
He told her that he is “determined” to live up to the mandate he is to receive from the public, adding that he appreciates the opportunity he has been given to be re-elected.
Asked about Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, Gannon tells The Journal that he believes too much attention was given to him from the media and that it is a sign that those in opposition, particularly on the left, need to do better to represent their constituents.
Gary Gannon, who is set to retain his seat in Dublin Central tells @thejournal_ie he believes Gerry Hutch is going to win the final seat.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 30, 2024
He says his strong performance today is a reflection of people being left behind & that these people are acting out of their hurt. pic.twitter.com/qXTpctv3fM
Elizabeth Rymut tells me that STILL no one else has been elected in Dún Laoghaire after the fourth count. Independent candidate Martina Fanning, with 3,367 votes, has been eliminated.
Reporter Andrew Walsh has detailed the full extent of Harris’ comments to media earlier. While he’s ‘cautiously optimistic’, he’s thankful for the support Fine Gael has received.
Emma Ní Fhuitnigh spoke to Michael FitzMaurice of Independent Ireland in Roscommon–Galway.
@thejournal_ie Michael Fitzmaurice, poll-topper says Independent Ireland “will sit down with anyone” and that many of both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s policies have shifted to align with Independent Ireland’s pic.twitter.com/cmUQvqK6eX
— Emma Ní Fhuitnigh (@emmamgw14) November 30, 2024
I’m going to get some dinner, amid all this madness.
Following updates coming from my colleague Diarmuid Pepper!
From our political correspondent Jane Matthews, we can see a video of the moment Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was re-elected.
And that’s Mary Lou McDonald elected @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/AImzBpgJYH
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 30, 2024
Leo Varadkar tells RTÉ it’s been a good election for Fine Gael in Dublin West.
The former Fine Gael leader says that while he can’t call it, he predicts the party will gain seats.
He adds that Harris has ran a good campaign and that “the longer you are in office, the harder it is to win votes”.
“But what we’re heading for is gaining seats, and that’s a very good performance,” says Varadkar, who adds that it is likely Fine Gael is headed for a fourth term in Government.
Good news for some at the Dún Laoghaire count centre, with pizza delivered for some as they continue waiting for another candidate to join Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in being elected.
Pascal Donohoe has been speaking to reporters and said the “big picture today is one of the centre holding”.
“At a time when incumbent government’s all over Europe are struggling to get re-elected, the two larger parties in this Government, and in particular Fine Gael, are going to deliver a very strong performance.
“From a Sinn Féin perspective, it’s now very evident that they are the weakest opposition party in Europe. Despite the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, the ongoing effects of a pandemic, they were not able to answer the most basic questions.
“Any electoral gains they make will be among the weakest of any opposition party across Europe.”
A disappointing result for Patricia Ryan in Kildare South.
In 2020, she ran as a Sinn Féin candidate and topped the poll in the constituency, despite being abroad on holiday for some of the election campaign.
But last month, she resigned from the party and claimed Sinn Féin was “undermining” her.
She was given just 678 first preference votes this time round.
Independent Ireland’s Michael Fitzmaurice, in Roscommon Galway, has been elected.
Alice O’Leary reports from Fingal in Dublin
The fifth count for Fingal East has been announced in recent minutes.
Darragh O’Brien of Fianna Fáil is crawling closer to the quota with 8,957 votes.
Ann Graves of Sinn Féin now leads second, with 5,711 votes.
Duncan Smith sits at 5,554, with a noticeable gap now between the Labour candidate and Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell as he sits at 5,408 votes.With the lowest number of votes, Manju Devi of Fianna Fáil is out of the running.
Elizabeth Rymut is in Dún Laoghaire, where outgoing Minister of State and Green Party TD Ossian Smyuth has been eliminated.
It sums up a bad day for the Greens who are really struggling.
Smyth was eliminated on the fifth count.
Michael Fitzmaurice says Independent Ireland “will sit down with anyone” and that many of both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s policies have shifted to align with Independent Ireland’s,
He topped the poll in Roscommon-Galway.
@thejournal_ie Michael Fitzmaurice, poll-topper says Independent Ireland “will sit down with anyone” and that many of both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s policies have shifted to align with Independent Ireland’s pic.twitter.com/cmUQvqK6eX
— Emma Ní Fhuitnigh (@emmamgw14) November 30, 2024
@thejournal_ie “The doors were warm and the results have shown that as well”: Neale Richmond responds after winning the 1st seat in Dublin-Rathdown as counting continues. pic.twitter.com/u9UJuxFlsj
— Aisling (@AislingRedden) November 30, 2024
Fine Gael senator Emer Currie has been elected in Dublin West on the second count and taken the constituency’s third seat.
She received 788 transferred votes to give her a total of 7,579.
No other candidates passed the quota but it looks like People Before Profit’s Ruth Coppinger could take the fourth seat.
Second count for Dublin Mid-West is in, and as expected Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward hoovers up the lions share of partymate Eoin Ó Broin’s surplus, receiving 1494 transfers.
Vulnerable People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny took 122 transfers.
As it turned out, there were plenty Eoin Ó Broin 1-2 ballots, as the Social Democrats councillor picked up 110 transfers.
Both Seanán Ó Coistín (Independent) and Robert Coyle (The Irish People) have been knocked out of the race.
Some interesting developments in Dublin Central, where Gerry Hutch has received the largest amount of Mary Lou McDonald’s surplus.
Very interesting election in Cavan-Monaghan.
Matt Carthy is speaking on RTÉ and said up to ten candidates look to be in with a chance of taking the five seats on offer.
He said his seat, and that of party colleague Pauline Tully, seem safe, though there is a real fight for the other three.
It was the latest constituency to return a first count in 2020, and its aiming to return a first count at 10.30pm tonight.
The Returning Officer has suspended the count in Dublin Fingal West in anticipation of a request for a re-count.
The suspension came after the results of the fifth count were announced.
The count will continue tomorrow morning.
Well… that was a busy hour!
Muiris Ó Cearbhaill back again here after having a few slices of pizza, and a can of coke, courtesy of a well-known pizza takeaway chain.
Here’s a wrap of the last hour:
And that brings us up to the present.
Rachel Holden, who’s at Loreto Secondary School in Kilkenny for The Journal where votes for the Carlow-Kilkenny count is taking place, tells me that the energy among voters, counters and reporters remains high!
@thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/JJIXmPWBaJ
— Muiris Ó Cearbhaill (@muirisoc) November 30, 2024
The count at Nemo Rangers is still progressing, according to news correspondent Niall O’Connor. No one was elected at the last count, but Niall has been chatting to senator and Fianna Fáil candidate for Cork South Central Jerry Buttimer.
Senator Jerry Buttimer speaking at the Nemo Rangers Count centre. He is in the running for the fifth seat and it is looking good for him at the moment in Cork South Central in a head to head with fellow Fine Gael member Shane O’Callaghan. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/3wn3FJWxIc
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Images have rolled in of Simon Harris celebrating. He is the last major party leader to be elected after topping the poll on the first count in Wicklow.
In Dún Laoghaire, Elizabeth Rymut tells me that Sinn Féin’s Shane O’Brien has been eliminated after the sixth count.
No one has reached the quota.
Reporter Steven Fox, in Mallow, Co Cork, has the latest of Cork North-West and Cork South-West.
He tells me that still no one has been elected. But the count is still progressing well, it seems.
People Before Profit’s Joe Moore in Cork North-West and The Green Party’s Mary Ryder in Cork South-West have been eliminated.
Just need to correct the record here! The quota in Dublin Mid-West is 7,913 – not 7,193 as previously reported.
Sinn Féin’s Mark Ward is actually around 1,000 votes short from that quota.
You can get the exact figures on our candidate database:
All over for the day in Dublin South-West. Counting is set to return at 10am tomorrow.
Megan O’Brien reports for The Journal:
Still no white smoke at Weston Airport.
Count Two completed and no candidates elected.
Sinn Féin’s Sean Crowe continues to top the polls with a total of 9,939 votes, while Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy is next on 8,517 while Fianna Fáil’s John Lahart sits in third with 8,293 votes.
The bad performance for the Green Party continues as Francis Noel Duffy is eliminated in Dublin South West. He finished count two on 1,944 votes.
News correspondent Niall O’Connor has been busy talking to Returning Officer Martin Harvey, who’s in charge of voting for Cork South Central and Cork North Central.
He gives his explanation of the vote, and his insights of the day. Counting will continue at Nemo Rangers in Cork until 11pm this evening.
Returning Officer Martin Harvey giving an explainer how Cork South Central and Cork North Central is progressing. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/VmYOmFV2ak
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
Megan O’Brien in Weston Airport tells me that the Returning Officer for Dublin West has adjourned counting until the morning.
Three out of the five seats in the constituency were filled today. Greens leader Roderic O’Gorman, who may lose his seat in this election’s whip out, will have to remain in the dark for one more night, Megan says.
Emma Whitney is in Roscommon:
A sleepy feeling has descended on this count centre (or at least for this reporter anyways).
Some ballot counters estimating that the count in Roscommon-Galway will continue on until midnight, at least.
The third count for Dublin Mid-West is in!
Right-leaning candidates benefit the most from the distribution of far-right candidate Robert Coyle’s vote (member of The Irish People).
Independent Ireland’s Lynda De Courcey gets 122 while the Irish Freedom Party’s Glen Moore picks up 118.
The Green Party’s Karla Doran bows out at 650 votes, compounding a disastrous day for the Green Party.
Independent Seanán Ó Coistín, who campaigned on a single issue (to remove the mechanism that allows students to exempt themselves from learning Irish) was also eliminated last round.
Alex Cunningham now tells me that the Returning Officer in Dublin Mid-West has adjourned counting until tomorrow morning.
Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin was the only candidate to hit the quota over the first 3 counts – cruising home on the first time of asking with 20.7% of the first preference vote.
Ó Broin’s partymate Mark Ward will be favourite to get in the next couple of counts, currently just over a 1,000 votes shy of the quota.
Emer Higgins (Fine Gael), Shane Moynihan (Fianna Fáil), Paul Gogarty (Independent) and Vicki Casserly (Fine Gael) remain in the mix for the remainder of the seats.
Fine Gael’s Willie Aird – who has served as a local councillor in Laois for 45 years (!) – has been elected.
Read the latest:
Niall in Nemo has the lastest from Cork North Central and Cork South Central.
No one elected after the third count. He tells me there’s a “slim, slim chance” that we might see Seamus McGrath of Fianna Fáil – son of Irish European Commissioner Michael McGrath – elected tonight.
Cork north Central and South Central latest numbers. Slim, slim chance of an election of Seamus McGrath tonight. But I would not be running to a bookies. More likely tomorrow. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/fZ9feXAdSP
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) November 30, 2024
We’re in for a late night in Kerry…
Delay in announcement of first count in Kerry constituency due to apparent discrepancy between number of ballots and weight of ballots for some candidates. #GE24 #GE2024 #GeneralElection24 #GeneralElection2024 #RadioKerry #RadioKerryNews #KerryConstituency #Kerry pic.twitter.com/jXfLneNIPt
— Radio Kerry News (@radiokerrynews) November 30, 2024
Reporter Eoghan Dalton says we’re also unlikely to anyone else elected tonight in Wexford as FF’s James Browne is still 1,786 votes off the quota after the third count.
Eoghan tells me the details of the third count below:
Quota: 10,502. Three seats to fill.
Distribution of TIP’s Stephen Power’s transfers:
Reporter Steven Fox reports from Mallow GAA:
After a nearly-twelve-hour first count, no candidates have been returned in any of the three constituencies being counted at Mallow GAA in Cork today.
Cork East, Cork North West, and Cork South West have all proven tight contests.
In Cork East, Fianna Fáil’s James O’Connor, Fine Gael’s Mark Stanton, and Sinn Féin’s Pat Buckley are all within 300 votes of each other. They’re followed closely by Fine Gael’s Noel McCarthy and Fianna Fáil’s Deirdre O’Brien.
In Cork North West, Aindrias and Michael Moynihan, both of Fianna Fáil, look set to take two of the constituencies three seats. The third is looking like a toss up between John Paul O’Shea and Michael Creed, both of Fine Gael.
Meanwhile in Cork South West, there seems to a break from the incumbent government/
Independent Ireland’s Michael Collins topped the poll with over 11,000 votes (but short of the 11,824 vote quota), followed closely by Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns. However, in third and fourth place are Fianna Fáil’s Christopher O’Sullivan and Fine Gael’s Noel O’Donovan.
All in all, we have witnessed a relatively tame affair in Mallow so far.
That being said, there have been bursts of excitement.
Following torrential rain earlier in the afternoon, the roof started to leak into the count centre briefly. Thankfully, no ballots counters were harmed.
We were also graced with a dog of exceptional quality.
Another count in Cork South West! No one has been elected.
People Before Profit’s Zoe Laplaud has been eliminated and their votes will now be distributed.
Fine Gael’s Peter Burke has been re-elected in Longford-Westmeath after topping the poll on the first count.
Niall O’Connor’s latest dispatch from
Here in Nemo Rangers the crowds have left and will return tomorrow. The theory at the moment here is that Cork North Central will not return anyone tonight.
But Cork South Central is in with a chance of an election but it is exceedingly slim. Seamus McGrath, the brother of former Minister for Finance Michael McGrath, will be next to get elected.
He is currently on 9,950 – the quota is 10,451.
Martin Harvey has indicated that he will end the night sometime around 11pm – the most likely outcome is that we will end the count tonight and be back at 9am tomorrow for a marathon.
RTÉ reporter Eimer McAuley (formerly of this parish) has been having a bit of a mare at this count centre in Kilkenny.
We’re still waiting on the first count In Carlow-Kilkenny - in other news, I have dropped my constituent profiles on top of a basketball hoop… so long pic.twitter.com/XlKCBol3sz
— Eimer McAuley (@eimer_mcauley) November 30, 2024
Meath West becomes the first constituency to have all of its seats filled.
Dún Laoghaire becomes the second constituency to fill all of its seats.
Steven Fox reports:
In Mallow, they’re hoping Cork South West will be done by tonight, but Cork North West and Cork East will have to wait until tomorrow.
The initial counts were quite tight, but nobody made it close to the quota.
Poll toppers in Cork East, for instance, were all over 3,000 votes short.
But the lads getting knocked out are getting 50-100 votes, so there’s a negligible amount of transfers at the moment, and there’s a fair few of them for now.
We’re basically waiting on a bigger candidate to be knocked out, so someone can get over the line – and then it will go a bit more quickly.
Independent TD Michael Lowry tells RTÉ News that he thinks there will be a number of non-party candidates who would be happy to join any incoming government.
He says that he doesn’t know how the numbers will come to pass, but the outgoing rural independent group will, more than likely, be re-elected and able to form a coalition – if needed.
“I don’t believe in red lines,” Lowry says, adding that there would be “a number of independents who would be of that opinion”.
“We’re entering a time where our economy will be under pressure – it’s important we have a stable government,” he says.
A raft of Cork numbers have just come in.
In Cork North West, Collette Finn (the Green Party) and Ellen Barry (Independent Ireland) have been eliminated on count three.
In Cork East, People Before Profit’s Asch Ní Fhinn has been excluded on the third count.
In Cork North Central, Susan Doyle of the Social Democrats has been eliminated on the fourth count.
Elsewhere, Fine Gael’s Helen McEntee has been re-elected in Meath East.
A fire alarm has interrupted the first count in Donegal – after over 12 hours of counting.
The Returning Officer, who was speaking entirely in Irish (and quite slowly), has said she will resume the announcement in a few moments.
At least the first count is done!
The count has been adjourned for the night here in Nemo Rangers in Cork. Niall O’Connor will be back tomorrow at 9am to begin again.
The count is likely to conclude after the next count in Roscommon-Galway.
Emma Whitney, reporting for The Journal, has been speaking to Aisling Dolan of Fine Gael.
Doran said that there has been clear front runners – and she’s the fourth.
“We’re looking at the transfers for me – there is a gap; there is ground to cover,” she told Emma.
“It’s all interesting, it’s all part of it where the different counts go, where the twos and threes go. At the moment now we’re just looking at the second count as the first has just finished and we’re looking at where those transfers are going from the first count.
“So we’re still kind of waiting, in anticipation. We still believe! Our first preference vote has actually increased by 17% in Roscommon-East Galway across myself and Dymphna Daly-Finn so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow.”
Donegal’s fire alarm problems have been resolved.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty has been elected in Donegal after topping the poll on the first count.
Counting in Dublin Bay South has now adjourned for the evening and the count has wrapped up at the RDS for the night.
We will bring you the latest and greatest from Dublin city from 9am tomorrow.
The first count has just been called for Carlow-Kilkenny where no one has been elected.
Our editor Sinéad O’Carroll was tuning into RTÉ Radio One and writes that she’d love the confidence of Michael Lowry after topping the poll in each of the past seven elections.
He took the opportunity to run through each of his accomplishments in the face of what he called a tough election, given he lost “5,500 votes” in the constituency redraw.
He noted, however, how he topped the polls in each of the boxes in the new Kilkenny part of the constituency- despite being a Tipp man.
He confirmed that he had been talking to Phil Hogan regularly about his fellow county men and women.
He also noted that he had heard from plenty of Fine Gael people who were disappointed at the treatment of Hogan when he lost his EU Commissioner role during Covid.
Friends looking after friends.
After the ninth count in Limerick, Independent Ireland’s Richard O’Donoghue has been elected after surpassing the 11,358-vote quota.
Things are winding down at RDS – our political correspondent Jane Matthews has filed the latest on Gerry Hutch’s Dáil bid from the Dublin 4 venue:
Hutch is still well in contention for a Dáil seat in Dublin Central.
It’s now pretty much a two-way battle between Hutch and Labour’s Marie Sherlock for the fourth seat in the constituency.
The sixth and final count for Dublin Central this evening left Hutch at a total of 3,733 and Sherlock at a total of 2,917. Malachy Steenson, who was eliminated in the six count, will see his 2195 votes distributed tomorrow when the count resumes at 10am.
It is expected that Steenson’s surplus will be of greater benefit to Hutch than Sherlock, further widening the gap between them.
A small group of supporters of Hutch were present in the RDS tonight and were hopeful of his chance at victory.
Hutch was absent from the RDS count centre today, but it is expected that he will arrive tomorrow if things look to be going in his favour.
Wow. Gerry Hutch receives the largest amount of Mary Lou McDonald’s surplus. #DublinCentral
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 30, 2024
@thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/u0sZGc1fKw
Wow.
The current vote share between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil stands equal at 21.1% each, according to RTÉ News. Still many more votes to count.
The sixth count has just been announced in Limerick City. Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea has been re-elected after surpassing the 8,435-vote quota.
The vote in Dublin Rathdown has been adjourned until tomorrow morning at 10am after the third count.
A total of 686 votes were distributed from the elimination of three candidates. No one has reached the quota.
People Before Profit’s Síomha Ní Aonghusa has been disqualified with 1,351 votes. Staff will distribute those votes in the morning.
Mystery solved.
It seems the fire alarm which interrupted the 1st count declaration in Donegal was set off by someone vaping in the building- all areas were checked and the building declared safe before the alarm was switched off and the declaration resumed pic.twitter.com/tfrh98j2Ci
— RTÉ Donegal (@RTEDonegal) November 30, 2024
The election of Willie O’Dea makes him the oldest TD to ever be elected, at the age of 72.
He will be stumped of that title if Fine Gael’s Bernard Durkin (who is 79 years old) is elected in Kildare North.
RTÉ have reported that 25 counts have adjourned for the night, with two completed – so there are 16 still going.
Kerry results are coming in at the moment.
The results of the first count for the Kerry constituency.
There were a total of 78,495 valid ballots. The quota is 13,083.
Independent TD Michael Healy Rae has been re-elected, surpassing the quota at 18,596 first-preference ballots. The surplus of his votes will now be distributed.
You can find the full details on The Journal‘s election centre.
Independent Ireland Richard O’Donoghue has made his big post-election pitch: Rural areas need more funding.
“There’s more to this country than Dublin,” he tells RTÉ News. “The vote I got reflects that.”
He says that Independent Ireland could return seven or eight seats in the Dáil.
I published that post too early. Richard O’Donoghue is off to a wedding!
He says that he was meant to go to another one earlier in the day, but couldn’t make it.
“We’ll make it for the last dance,” he adds.
The first count has been announced in Sligo-Leitrim.
The total valid poll is 56,900. The quota is 11,381 and there are four seats up for grabs.
Frank Feighan of Fine Gael has topped the poll on 8,980 first-preference votes.
No one has secured enough votes to be elected.
A total of 31 seats are filled, 41 out of 43 constituencies have had their first counts and many, many count centres are continuing into the night.
The first count in the Cavan-Monaghan and Kildare North constituencies have yet to be announced.
All four seats in the Dún Laoghaire constituency have been filled and Fine Gael have picked up an extra seat there.
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and senator Barry Ward to take up seats in the Dáil alongside Fianna Fáil’s Cormac Devlin and People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd Barrett.
Three TDs in Meath West have been elected – Sinn Féin’s Johnny Guirke returns to the Dáil as does Aontú’s Peadar Tóibín. New Fianna Fáil TD, and elected councillor, Aisling Dempsey has also been elected.
In Kerry, the first count saw Michael Healy-Rae top the poll in the five-seater constituency – securing enough votes to return him to the Dáil.
The first count in Donegal was a bit more exciting, however. Someone was found to be vaping in the count centre – which set off the fire alarm as the Returning Officer was announcing the results.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty was re-elected after topping the poll there.
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