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GE2024the final stretchWe're down to the final 12 seats - here is who's fighting to get over the line
Counts, and recounts, will happen in five constituencies later today.
IT’S DAY THREE of counting in the general election and 162 seats have been filled, with 12 left to go.
Fianna Fáil are currently on 43 seats, while Sinn Féin and Fine Gael are on 36 seats each.
Let’s catch up on the constituencies with seats left to be filled.
Cavan-Monaghan
Cavan-Monaghan is yet to fill four of its five seats. Fine Gael’s David Maxwell was elected on the 10th count. Former minister Heather Humphreys previously held a FG seat in the constituency but recently announced her retirement.
The other seats look set to go to Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil, but Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly is still in the mix.
Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy is currently in second place, followed by Fianna Fáil’s Niamh Smyth and Brendan Smith in third and fourth.
O’Reilly is currently in fifth place, but the sixth and seventh spots are held by Sinn Féin’s Cathy Bennett and Pauline Tully. Once Carthy is elected, they’re expected to get a boost from transfers and Bennett is most likely to take the final seat.
Kildare North
Two of the five seats in Kildare-North have been filled so far – by Fianna Fáil’s James Lawless and the Social Democrats’ Aidan Farrelly.
After 10 counts, Sinn Féin’s Réada Cronin is in third position, Fine Gael’s Joe Neville is in fourth, Fianna Fáil’s Naoise Ó Cearúil is in fifth, Fine Gael’s Bernard Durkan is in sixth and independent Bill Clear is in seventh.
Durkan, who has been a TD since the early 1980s, is likely to lose his seat. He previously served as Fine Gael’s chief whip and Minister of State for Social Welfare.
Louth
Two seats have been filled so far in the five-seat Louth constituency – they’ve gone to Sinn Féin candidates Ruairí Ó Murchú and Joanna Byrne. The area is a stronghold for Sinn Féin, former party leader Gerry Adams served as a TD there from 2011 to 2020.
After 18 counts, here is the current order of remaining candidates in Louth:
- Ged Nash (Labour)
- Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fáil)
- Paula Butterly (Fine Gael)
- Kevin Callan (independent)
- Alison Comyn (Fianna Fáil)
Fine Gael’s other candidate, Senator John McGahon (who was mired in controversy throughout the campaign) was eliminated yesterday.
Recounts
As well as the above ongoing counts, a number of recounts have also been requested.
Cork North-Central
Four of the five seats in Cork-North Central have been filled by Thomas Gould (Sinn Féin), Pádraig O’Sullivan (Fianna Fáil), Colm Burke (Fine Gael) and Ken O’Flynn (Independent Ireland).
The fifth and final seat remains vacant, after 16 counts.
Two candidates are vying for that: Eoghan Kenny (Labour) and Solidarity’s Mick Barry. At various stages, dozens of votes were separating the men. At one point, it was a single vote.
Barry has requested a recount. Returning officer Martin Harvey will meet the candidates and decide the extent of the recount shortly before 10am.
Tipperary North
Veteran independent TD Michael Lowry topped the poll in Tipperary North, as expected. The final two seats are still up for grabs after a number of recounts.
Labour’s Alan Kelly looks set to take the second seat, and Fianna Fáil’s Ryan O’Meara is currently in third place after nine counts.
Just *seven* votes separated Fianna Fáil’s Michael Smith (6,369) and independent Jim Ryan (6,362) at one stage. The latter requested a recount – on the first recount Smith was ahead by just one vote, and on the second recount he was ahead by just two votes.
Ryan has requested a third recount which is due to get underway at 11am.
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