After two days of counting, the incumbent MEP was successful when he exceeded the quota of 114,761 by more than 8,000 votes. He celebrated his victory late last night (Monday, 10) and at 9am this morning, counting continued to transfer his surplus votes.
It is expected that Fianna Fáil MEP, Billy Kelleher will, too, retain his European seat. With more than 91,000 first preferences, he placed behind Seán Kelly and will claim the second seat in the five-seater constituency.
Michael McNamara, who is an independent TD, as well as a barrister and drystock farmer, is in third place, followed by Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a former RTÉ broadcaster, in fourth. MEP Mick Wallace is sitting in fifth place. With 20,751 first preferences, former general secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), Eddie Punch, has not performed so well.
Counting continues elsewhere and, currently, independent MEP, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan has topped the five-seater Midlands-Northwest constituency but is not yet elected as he was more than 35,000 votes shy of the quota there. Nina Carbery, running for Fine Gael, is currently sitting second just ahead of Fianna Fáil TD, Barry Cowen. MEP, Maria Walsh sits in fourth, while former RTÉ reporter, Ciaran Mullooly sits in fifth place.
Meanwhile in the third and final – four-seater – constituency, Dublin, MEP Barry Andrews has performed well for Fianna Fáil. He topped the poll there, although he was more than 10,000 votes shy of the quota. He is followed by Fine Gael’s Senator Regina Doherty, and Sinn Féin’s Senator Lynn Boylan. Former DJ, Niall Boylan is currently in fourth place, ahead of the Green Party’s sitting MEP, Ciarán Cuffe, and Labour TD, Aodhán O’Riordán.