THE GREEN PARTY looks set to be a major player in Dublin City Council, with seven candidates already elected on the first count.
The party ran ten candidates across Dublin City Council’s 11 wards and things are looking good for them so far.
With 63 seats available, the Greens won’t be the biggest party but they will be important, as there is already talk of alliances.
At the count centre in the RDS, many members of Fianna Fáíl are predicting that DCC will be FF-Green council with some Social Democrats.
The results coming in from the first counts reflect the RTÉ/TG4 exit poll which suggested that support for the Greens in the local elections would jump from 1.4% to 9%. The party previously had just three councillors sitting on Dublin City Council.
Meanwhile, things aren’t looking too good for Sinn Féin.
Since 2014, it has had 15 sitting councillors, but that number is in jeopardy if first preference votes are anything to go by. Just nine Sinn Féin candidates appear to be in with a chance of being elected based on first preference votes.
It’s still early doors, however, transfer votes will be crucial for most areas.
Here’s how things are looking so far in Dublin City Council’s electoral areas.
Artane-Whitehall (6 seats available)
Social Democrats Patricia Roe got the highest percentage of first preference votes and was elected on the first count. Sinn Féin’s Larry O’Toole follows closely behind with 13.8%. Rounding off the top six candidates are; Fianna Fáil’s Racheal Batten (10.43%), Labour’s Alison Gilliland (9.73%), Fine Gael’s Declan Flanagan (9.71%) and Independent John Lyon’s with 9.65%. This is the only DCC electoral area that the Green Party did not run a candidate in.
Ballyfermot-Drimnagh (5 seats available)
Sinn Féin’s Daithi Doolan received the most first preference votes here, coming in at 16%. Solidarity/People Before Profit’s Hazel De Nortuin follows behind with 13%, followed by Independent Vincent Jackson (13%). The Green Party’s Sophie Nicoullaud also nabbed 13% of first preferences followed by Fianna Fáil’s Daithi De Roiste on 11%.
Ballymun-Finglas (6 seats available)
Fianna Fáil’s Paul McAuliffe received the most first preference votes (17.38%) and was elected on the first count. Former Sinn Féin councillor turned Independent Noeleen Reilly got 13.24% in the first tally. They are followed by Fianna Fáil’s Keith Connolly (9.62%), Social Democrat Mary Callaghan (8.73%), Green Party’s Caroline Conroy (7.5%). In 5th and 6th place are Sinn Féin’s Anthony Connaghan (6.54%) and Cathleen Boud (6.36%).
Cabra-Glasnevin (7 seats available)
Fianna Fáíl’s Mary Fitzpatrick received and Green Party’s Nessa Hourigan were both elected on the first count. They’re followed by Social Democrat Gary Gannon (10.3%), Independent Cieran Perry (9.2%), Sinn Fein’s Seamas McGrattan (7.1%) Fine Gael’s Colm O’Rourke (5.1%) and Labour’s Aine Clancy (5%). The rest of the candidates are separated by a small margin, so it will be all to play for once votes are transferred.
Clontarf (6 seats available)
Independent Damian O’Farrell and the Green Party’s Donna Cooney have both been deemed elected here. They’re followed by Fianna Fáil’s Deirdre Heney (13.7%), Fine Gael’s Naoise O Muiri (10.9%) Labour’s Jane Horgan-Jones (10.4%) and Fianna Fáil’s Cathal Haughey’s on 8.3%.
Donaghmede (5 seats available)
Fianna Fáil’s Tom Brabazon received 16.27% of first preference votes and was deemed elected. He was followed closely by his party colleague Daryl Barron (12.04%). Sinn Féin’s Micheal Mac Donncha follows with 11.69%, Fine Gael’s Terence Flanagan comes in 4th with 9.74%. The Green Party’s Lawrence Hemmings closes off the top five with 8.05%.
Kimmage-Rathmines (6 seats available)
The Green Party’s Patrick Costello has been elected after he received 20.5% of first preference votes. The rest of the candidates hoping to follow suit are; Labour’s Mary Freehill (11.2%), Independents4Change’s Pat Dunne (10.6%) Fine Gael’s Anne Feeney (8.9%), Social Democrat Tara Deecy (7.4%) and Fianna Fáil’s Deirdre Conroy on 6.5%.
Pembroke (5 seats available)
The Green Party’s Hazel Chu has been elected after the first count here, with 33.2% of first preference votes. Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan (15.7%) and Labour’s Dermot Lacey (14.3%) have also been deemed elected. The candidates who are hoping to join them and look the most likely to are; Fine Gael’s Paddy McCarten (11.3%) and Fianna Fáil’s Claire O’Connor with 11.1%.
North Inner City (7 seats available)
The Green Party’s Ciaran Cuffe has been elected with 14.7% of first preferences here. With seven seats up for grabs, the candidates in a good position after the first counts are; Independent Christy Burke (11.8%), Labour’s Joe Costello (10.1%), Fine Gael’s Ray McAdams (8.7%), Independent Nial Ring (8%), Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan (7.1%) and Independent Anthony Flynn (6.4%).
South West Inner City (5 seats available)
The Green Pary’s Micheal Pidgeon was the first candidate deemed elected here after he received 23% of first preference votes. With four more seats up for grabs, the candidates poised to take them after the first tally are; Solidarity/People Before Profit’s Tina McVeigh (12%), Labour’s Rebecca Moynihan (11%), Fianna Fáil’s Michael Watters (11%) and Sinn Féin’s Críona Ní Dhálaígh (10%).
South East Inner City (5 seats available)
The Green Party’s Claire Byrne received 28.9% of first preferences here and was deemed elected after the first count. She’s followed by Sinn Féin’s Chris Andrews on 14.5%. Coming in under 10% are Fine Gael’s Danny Byrne (9.8%), Labour’s Kevin Donoghue (8.6%) and Independent Mannix Flynn with 7.9%.
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