Counting is underway in the closely watched Dublin Central by-election , with early tallies already pointing towards a dramatic race for one of the Dail’s most high-profile seats. Voters in Dublin Central and Galway West went to the polls on Friday to elect two new TDs following the departures of Catherine Connolly , who became President, and former minister Paschal Donohoe , who left politics to take up a role as the World Bank’s chief knowledge officer. The first ballot boxes were opened at the
RDS at 9am on Saturday morning as counting officially began. With 100% of boxes now opened in Dublin Central, early tallies show Social Democrats candidate Daniel Ennis leading on 19.6% of first preferences, followed by Sinn Fein’s Janice Boylan on 17.7%. They are followed by Green Party candidate Janet Horner on 11.5%, Fine Gael’s Ray McAdam on 10.7% and Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch on 11.4%. Hutch, who has previously been described in court by a judge as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation,
is narrowly ahead of Independent Malachy Steenson on 9.5%. People Before Profit -Solidarity’s Eoghan O Ceannabhain is on 6.7%, Labour’s Ruth O’Dea has 5.8%, Fianna Fail’s John Stephens sits on 4.2% and Aontu candidate Ian Noel Smyth is on 2%. The remaining candidates each secured less than 1% of first preferences, according to the tally. The constituency’s current TDs are Labour’s Marie Sherlock, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and Social Democrats representative Gary Gannon. Follow the latest updates below.
Dublin Central by-election, Daniel Ennis, Janice Boylan, Galway West, counting underway, RDS, first preferences, Sinn Fein, Social Democrats, Green Party, Fine Gael