FINE GAEL TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has been declared as the first TD to return to the Dáil, as the first count of the general election was declared in Dún Laoghaire.

Carroll MacNeill picked up 20.9% of first preference votes in the first count, securing a total of 11,685 votes.

The returning Fine Gael TD served as Minister of State at the Department of Finance since December 2022.

Carroll MacNeill told The Journal that she was “elated” with the result.

“I’m hugely grateful and thankful to the people of Dún Laoghaire for putting their trust in me to serve them again,” the Fine Gael TD said.

“It’s one thing to get elected, it’s another thing to get reelected, and it’s a bigger privilege as people have had the chance to try you out. I’ve so enjoyed working for my community”.

Fianna Fáil’s Cormac Devlin secured the second-highest amount of first preference votes at 8831 (15.9% of first preference votes).

Fine Gael received strong support in the constituency, with candidate Barry Ward received the third-highest amount of first preference votes at 15% (8337 votes) .

People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett picked up the fourth-highest amount of first preference votes, securing 6,795  number one votes (12.2%). Boyd Barrett was the second candidate elected in the constituency in the 2020 election.

Sinn Féin candidate Shane O’Brien is currently trailing in fifth place in the four seat constituency, with 4,995 votes (9%).

Others trailing include Green Party candidate Ossian Smyth at 4,297 first preference votes (7.7%) Social Democrats’ Hugo Mills at 4,192 votes (7.5%), and Labour’s Martha Fanning at 3169 votes (5.7%).

Fine Gael picked up a total of 36% of first preference votes in the Dun Laoghaire constituency.

Hats off to the count staff at Dún Laoghaire, who managed to count the fastest of all 43 constituencies nationwide.

A broader picture of the general election results is not expected for some time, but Fine Gael can claim the first victory of the election.