Counting is underway across the country in the general election, and you can follow live updates here throughout the day.
- Sinn Fein held 21.1 per cent of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of current coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21 per cent and 19.5 per cent respectively, according to the Ipsos B&A Exit Poll commissioned by RTÉ, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin.
- It puts the two largest parties in the current coalition, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, on a combined 40.5 per cent.
- Counting started at 9am and could last days due to Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference.
- You can get the rundown on every constituency in our Election Results Hub by clicking here.
Social Democrats Gary Gannon arriving for the count at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the general election.
3pm
Tallies in Wicklow are showing Taoiseach Simon Harris will get enough votes for a quota and a half.
Counting takes place at Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork, after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the general election.
2.50pm
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is in real danger of losing his seat in Wicklow He’s currently holding the fourth seat but Simon Harris has a large surplus to transfer
Grainne Seoige is not going to win a seat for Fianna Fáil in Galway West
The Greens are facing a wipeout – and deputy leader Catherine Martin looks likely to lose to the Social Democrats. It would be one of at least two extra seats for the Social Democrats who will take one in Cork South Central through Padraig Rice.
Gerry Hutch is in the frame to take a seat in Dublin Central but it’s not guaranteed, he has a battle with Labour
Independent TD Cathal Berry also looks likely to lose his seat in Kildare
2.45pm
The final tallies for Mayo show Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh in the lead, followed by Alan Dillon of Fine Gael, and Dara Calleary of Fianna Fáil. Then it is Ballina Fine Gael candidate Mark Duffy in fourth, followed by a trio who will be fighting for the final seat: Fine Gael’s Keira Keogh from Westport; Lisa Chambers of Fianna Fáil and then former Fine Gael member and now independent Patsy O’Brien.
Tallies in Wicklow are showing Taoiseach Simon Harris will get enough votes for a quota and a half. He will be followed by John Brady of Sinn Féin and Jennifer Whitmore of Social Democrats in the four-seater. Then it is a battle for the final seat.
In Roscommon-Galway, Independent Ireland’s Michael Fitzmaurice appears almost certain to top the poll. He’s followed by Sinn Féin’s Claire Kerrane Dr Martin Daly of Fianna Fáíl on 7,252.
Independent TD Michael Healy Rae looks set to top the poll in Kerry based on tallies.
Predicting the final seat count, he says: “You will have two Healy-Rae’s and you will have Sinn Féin and you will have Fianna Fáil, which I’m calling for Minister Norma Foley. And the last seat I’m calling that for Michael Cahill from Fianna Fáil becuase he is transfer-friendly.”
1.45pm
Similar bad news for the Green Party in Dublin Bay South, the stomping ground of former party leader Eamon Ryan. The four-seater looks set to see Fine Gael James Geoghegan and Labour leader Ivan Bacik safe, while Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan and Sinn Féin’s Chris Andrews are in the running with Fine Gael’s Emma Blain. Green Party candidate Hazel Chu is languishing in seventh place.
1.38pm
In Dublin South West, all tallies are in and Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe topping the poll, followed by Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy and Fianna Fail’s John Lahart. The last two seats are going to be hard fought, with Labour’s Ciaran Ahern, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, Fianna Fail’s Teresa Costello, Fine Gael’s Sarah Barnes and Social Democrats Ross O’Mullane all fighting it out. It seems to mean there will be no room for Green Party TD Noel Francis Duffy.
1.28pm
In the Mayo 5 seat constituency, former Fine Gael TD Jim Higgins told the Western People that, while not all tallies are in. he sees it going to Fine Gael’s Alan Dillon, Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary, and Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh in the first three seats. He predicts the fourth seat may go to Fine Gael’s Mark Duffy. After that he says it will be a real battle for the final seat, with the chances of Fine Gael taking it.
1.26pm
Chairperson of the Green Party Senator Pauline O’ Reilly concedes it’s not the Green’s day today.
She said: “The feeling on the ground was very positive towards us and overall we were squeezed out by a lot of choice. Whether that’s within Government or the centre left.”
1.20pm
With 10% of the boxes open in the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency, three Carlow candidates are performing well with Fianna Fáil’s Jennifer Murnane O’Connor on 25.5%, Fine Gael’s Catherine Callaghan on 19.9% and Sinn Féin’s Áine Knox Gladney on 17.4%.
1.18pm
Early signs of the turnout in Waterford point to the election quota being around 10,750. Turnout is believed to be 54,012, with the number of spoilt ballots yet to be revealed. A four-seat constituency, this means the quota is likely to be around 10,750 but may drop slightly when spoiled ballots are counted. The final tally numbers for the first count mean that David Cullinane, Sinn Féin TD, is expected to be elected on the first count with 10,839 votes.
1pm
Limerick county: Tallies show Fine Gael’s Richard O’Donovan, Independent Ireland’s Richard O’Donoghue and Fianna Fáil’s Niall Collins leading the way, followed by Sinn Féin’s first-time candidiate Joanne Collins who is the best of the remaining 11 candidates on 12%.
12.52pm
Sinn Fein’s director of elections Matt Carthy says it would be a phenomenal performance if they emerge as the largest party when the votes are counted.
He told Newstalk: “I think in virtually every consistency where I’ve been looking at the tallies, the last one if not two seats are in play between several contenders so all I can say is if you consider where we were just a few short weeks ago, the prospect that Sinn Féin could emerge as the largest party out of this election will be an absolutely phenomenal result.”
12.20pm
Meath West too nearing a full tally – there will be one Sinn Féin and one Aontú TD, and then the final seat looks to be a fight between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
A member of the count staff as counting takes place at Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork, after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the general election. Photo: Jacob King/PA Images
12.10pm
Final tallies are starting to come in starting in Dublin Central where Mary Lou McDonald will top the poll but the big story is Gerry the Monk Hutch could finish 4th and take a Dail seat
The other story there is the underperformance of Clare Daly who looks well off the pace.
11.42am
Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is performing well in early ballots in the Dublin Central constituency, and is currently in fifth place.
Mary Lou McDonald 19%
Paschal Donohoe 17%
Gary Gannon 13%
Gerry Hutch 9%
Mary Fitzpatrick 7%
Marie Sherlock 7%
Neasa Hourigan 6%
Malachy Steenson 5%
Clare Daly 4%
12pm
In Dublin West, figures don’t look good for Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman.
Fianna Fáil deputy leader Jack Chambers is currently at 21 per cent, followed by Sinn Féin’s Paul Donnelly at 19 per cent.
Fine Gael Senator Emer Currie is at 13 per cent, Peope Before Protfit’s Ruth Coppinger is at eight per cent with Mr O’Gorman and Labour’s John Walsh both holding six per cent.
There are five seats in the constituency.
11.36am
Incoming EU Commissioner Michael McGrath has said that there is a danger in reading too much in to the exit poll last night and insists that “everything is still to play for.”
11:30am
Taoiseach Simon Harris is on course to top the poll in Wicklow. However, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is struggling.
Early counting shows Mr Harris in first place (28 per cent), followed by Sinn Féin’s John Brady (15 per cent) and Social Democrats’ Jennifer Whitmore in third (14 per cent).
There are four seats in the constituency and Stephen Donnelly is currently in fith (6.6 per cent), trailling Fine Gael’s Edward Timmins (6.8 per cent).
