MICHAEL D HIGGINS has been named the President-elect of the Republic of Ireland, having secured more than one million votes.

Before Higgins gave his victory speech at Dublin Castle today, some of his fellow Presidential candidates paid tribute to him. Seán Gallagher said he was sure Higgins would be an “outstanding” President; Dana Rosemary Scallon wished him “every good wish in the coming seven years”; Martin McGuinness said the new President was a man with a “huge heart”; and David Norris dubbed Higgins a “poet, visionary… and a political millionaire” – in honour of him securing 1,007,104 votes.

However, Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell and Independent candidate Mary Davis were not present at today’s proceedings.

According to a spokesperson for Davis, she was not present at the count today as she was spending time with her family:

Mary was at Dublin Castle last night and was one of the first to congratulate Michael D Higgins – and she rang him at about 1.30 or 2 o’clock today to congratulate him again. She wasn’t advised that it was protocol to be at Dublin Castle today, so she spent the day with her family.

A spokesperson for Gay Mitchell said that he had attended the count last night, at which point he had “spoken personally with Michael D Higgins and the other candidates,” and, for that reason, he was not in attendance today.

Both Mitchell and Davis were present for the full count last night, while fellow candidate Dana Rosemary Scallon was absent for the second count but present for others.

Did you see Mary Davis or Gay Mitchell out and about today? Tell us in the comment section…

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