7.20pm
‘If I was given the opportunity to be housing minister, I would grasp it with both hands. It desperately needs the greatest level of change in this country,’ says Eoin Ó Broin
Eoin Ó Broin admits that he would “absolutely relish the opportunity to try and fix housing,” as a minister if he got the chance.
“If I was given the opportunity to do that (be housing minister), I would grasp it with both hands because that’s one of the areas we desperately need the greatest level of change in this country,” he told the Irish Independent.
“I would absolutely relish the opportunity to try and fix housing. I’ve been a housing activist as long as I’ve been a political activist and housing is just the single biggest issue, both in my own constituency and across the State.
“I’d like it not because I want to be a minister, I’d like it because I really think the plan that we have and the people around us could do so much better for people, whether it’s people waiting on council list, people who are homeless, people who are looking to buy or rent affordably, also older people approaching pension age and living in the private rental sector and scared of what’s going to happen in the future.”
Ó Broin is proud of his “united,” campaign with Mark Ward, and hopes more Sinn Fein TD’s are elected this weekend.
“Both myself and Mark Ward ran a really strong united campaign here in Dublin Mid-West and the objective was to try and take the first two seats.
“I’ve been declared and my surplus is now going to be distributed. Mark will get the lion’s share of that. While it might not bring him in this count, he’ll certainly take the second seat, if not tonight, early tomorrow.
“Two Sinn Fein TD’s return from Dublin Mid-West with the plan and hopefully by tomorrow afternoon that will be achieved.
“David Cullinane has beat me to be the first elected, and he will never let me hear the end of that. I’m delighted David did really, really well. It looks like Connor McGuinness, his running mate, has a really good chance of getting a second Sinn Fein seat in Waterford, which will be a huge gain.”
7pm ‘I’m scarlet,’ Sinn Fein’s Eoin Ó Broin first elected in Dublin Mid-West
Whilst being lifted up in the air, Sinn Fein’s Eoin Ó Broin laughed ‘I’m scarlet.’
The spokesperson for housing got a total of 9892 votes in the first count.
His colleague Mark Ward followed with 5325, and Ó Broin hopes that he’ll be elected later tonight or early tomorrow morning.
5.35pm Labour Party’s Cllr Francis Timmons bids farewell to Dublin Midwest election race.
Cllr Francis Timmons, who was previously an Independent politician, ran as a Labour candidate in the General Election 2024. But with 5.3pc (2500) votes, he has thanked the public for the votes, but admitted this is not the change that he wanted.
He said: “Thanks everyone that voted for me! Not the change I desperately wanted but the people that voted have spoken! Whoever forms the government I wish them well – there is no shortage of challenges but I hope they change direction or it will be the same issues in 5 years time!”
5:20pm First count is underway
Social Democrats Councillor Eoin Ó Broin brings his “number one supporter,” to the count centre at the Adamstown Community Centre.
His daughter Éanna is “keeping an eye on the proceedings,” ahead of the first count result.
Social Democrats Councillor Eoin Ó Broin brings his daughter Éanna to the count centre.
12pm:In the tallies, Sinn Fein have come out on top with 32.3pc of the votes in Dublin Midwest.
Fine Gael followed with 17.7pc with Fianna Fail third with 11.4pc.
SF’s O’Broin has 20.7pc of the overall votes and his colleague, Ward is behind him with 11.7pc.
The following in the top spots is Emer Higgins (FG) with 10.8pc and Shane Moynihan (FF) with 9.6pc of the votes.
Paul Nicolas Gogarty, who is an Independent candidate, has 7.9pc of tally votes. Fine Gael’s Vicki Casserly is currently in sixth place with 7.7pc of the votes. Social Democrats Eoin O’Broin has 6.2pc of the final tally.
With the official count taking place this afternoon and transfers on the cards, it could still be anyone’s game.
10am: Sinn Féin are dominating the tallies so far in Dublin Midwest with 36.3pc of the total votes in the bag.
So far, 35pc of the boxes have been opened and tallied.
In the candidate breakdown, Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó’Brion has 29.9pc and his colleague Mark Ward has 15.4pc.
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