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Gabrielle McFadden, right, campaigning with Fine Gael TD, Helen McEntee. Liam Kidney

Gabrielle McFadden tops Westmeath-Longford poll to win late sister's seat

McFadden’s win was emotional as she takes the place of her sister Nicky, who died from motor neurone disease in March.

Updated 02.23, 25 May

GABRIELLE McFADDEN has comfortably topped the poll in the Longford-Westmeath by-election.

McFadden received 12,365 first preference votes, just over a quarter of the total votes cast. It puts her at precisely half the quota needed to get elected. She was finally announced as the constituency’s newest TD – for Fine Gael – after midnight this morning.

McFadden is the sister of Nicky McFadden whose death led to the by-election.

In second place behind McFadden was Aengus O’Rourke who received 8,910 first preference votes. Sinn Féin’s Paul Hogan polled in third with 7,548 votes.

Two independents John McNamara and Donal Jackson were eliminated first with their transfers distributed among the rest of the candidates. Labour’s Denis Leonard has also now been eliminated and his 3,352 votes are now being distribution for the third count.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny arrived at the count centre in Keenagh, Co Longford yesterday evening in anticipation of McFadden’s election.

First published 19:53, 24 May

LIVEBLOG: Local election results 2014 >

Read: Micheál Martin is delighted for Kate Feeney…and Mary Hanafin did well too >

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    May 22nd 2022, 12:52 AM

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    Was the name ever released of the big company that was hit by the ransomware hack ever released and the sum they paid?

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    May 22nd 2022, 10:41 AM

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    @Noel O’Neill: €20 a week. You think people are leaving over €20 a week?
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    May 22nd 2022, 11:51 AM

    @Mike Dunne: Seriously you think anti virus works like that. It is a game of cat and mouse.
    You cant have an antivirus program that stops a virus it does not know. Hence the updates.

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