JOE HIGGINS (Socialist Party) Dublin West FIRST Socialist Party TD to secure a seat, the Kerryman and Fingal county councillor made his mark in the by election here last year, when he almost cost Fianna Fail a seat. He has campaigned on water charges and PAYE. Renamed Militant Labour as the Socialist Party in October of last year. Says he will not support either of the two "conservative blocs" in the 28th Dail.
CAOIMHGHIN O CAOLAIN (Sinn Fein) Cavan Monaghan HE will be the first member of Sinn Fein to take a Dail seat, as distinct from winning one. He topped the poll with 11,000 plus first preferences.
JACKIE HEALY RAE (Ind) Kerry South IN my father's house there are many mansions," said Fianna Fail's director of elections, P.J. Mara, on RTE this weekend when pressed on whether the colourful former Fianna Fail chairman of Kerry County Council would be readmitted.
HARRY BLANEY (Ind FF) Donegal North East AT 69, the oldest newly elected member of the 28th Dail, Mr Blaney has rescued his late brother's seat after a by election hiccup. With two Fianna Fail TDs alongside him, he has ousted Fine Gael's Paddy Harte, so breaking a 36 year tradition.
TOM GILDEA (Ind) Donegal South West FIGHTING on the platform of television deflectors. Mr Gildea bad not been tipped to make much of a mark beyond Ardara Glenties. But he has caused a major upset, taking the seat vacated by Fianna Fail's Pat "The Cope" Gallagher and meant for Fianna Fail accountant Enda Bonner.
JACK WALL (Labour) Kildare South LONG SERVING Labour councillor was tipped to take the third seat in this new three seater constituency.
DEIRDRE CLUNE (FG) Cork South Central DAUGHTER of former Fine Gael deputy leader and TD, Peter Barry, Ms Clune put in a disappointing first preference performance but was elected by transfers from party colleague Hugh Coveney.
CONOR LENIHAN (FF) Dublin South West FORMER 98 FM deputy head of news and now programme manager with Esat Digifone joins his older brother, Brian, and aunt Mary O'Rourke, as part of the Lenihan dynasty in Leinster House.
BRIAN HAYES (FG) Dublin SouthWest The senator who isn't even 30 yet caused a big upset here. Labour has gone from two seats one relinquished by retiring Equality Minister, Mervyn Taylor to none: Mr Hayes was a by election candidate in Dublin South Central in 1994.
MONICA BARNES (FG) Dun Laoghaire POPULAR former deputy lost her seat here in 1992 to Helen Keogh of the Progressive Democrats. This time she won it back with effective vote management by Fine Gael. First elected to the Dail in 1982, she is a founder member of the Council for the Status of Women and former vice chair of the Women's Political Association.
MARY HANAFIN (FF) Dun Laoghaire AFTER five years, Fianna Fail has won back its two seats through strategic planning to secure a swing of less than 2 per cent. Mary Hanafin, daughter of anti abortion activist, Des Hanafin, has been a member of the party executive since 1980 and was elected treasurer in 1993.
MICHAEL O'KENNEDY (FF) Tipperary North HE returns to the Dail after losing his seat in 1992. A former European Commissioner and a former minister for foreign affairs, agriculture and finance, he has been a member of the British Irish Inter Parliamentary Body since 1993.
BEVERLY COOPER FLYNN (FF, Mayo) THE first female TD for Mayo is the daughter of Padraig Flynn, the European Social Affairs Commissioner. She was unsuccessful in the by election caused by his nomination for the Commissioner's job in 1994. MARIAN McGENNIS (FF) Dublin Central THE senator and Dublin county councillor has been a party member since 1981 and has run unsuccessfully on several occasions. Taken under her party leader's wing in Dublin Central for this campaign, she benefited from vote management and transfers.
JOHN GORMLEY (Greens) Dublin South East THE former Lord Mayor of Dublin and councillor for Rathmines ran successfully here in 1992, and nipped in this time at the expense of the Progressive Democrats deputy, Michael McDowell - assuming the original result stands.
OLIVIA MITCHELL (FG) Dublin South OLIVIA Mitchell has stood unsuccessfully on several occasions for the Dail. A fonder economics teacher, she is a long serving county councillor and chairwoman of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown council from 1996 to 1997.
FRANK FAHEY (FF) Galway West HE chose this constituency, though Galway East was his natural base. The former junior education minister with responsibility for youth and sport lost his seat in 1992, having polled over 8,000 first preferences in 1989. His activity within the constituency is cited as one reason for the early retirement of former party colleague, Maire Geoghegan Quinn.
BRENDAN DALY (FF) Clare ANOTHER temporary senator, who lost his seat in 1992, the former rate collector was the first Minister for the Marine, a new department set up under Charles J Haughey's administration. Also held Cabinet posts in defence, social welfare, and several junior posts. Latterly, he was a junior minister at the departments of the Taoiseach and Finance.
G V WRIGHT (FF) Dublin North FORMER fish merchant well known in Malahide, Howth and northern coastal parts, lost his seat in 1989 and was appointed a senator. He was a government chief whip in the Seanad from 1990, and leader of the house from 1992.
MICHAEL JOE COSGRAVE (FG) Dublin North East LOST his party's lone seat here in 1992, having been first elected for the old Dublin Clontarf constituency in 1977. Former assistant Fine Gael whip, former party spokesman on housing and a long serving county councillor.
MARTIN BRADY (FF) Dublin North East THE Dublin City councillor from Donaghmede and executive officer in Telecom Eireann put in a strong campaign, rattling party colleagues Dr Michael Woods and Liam Fitzgerald, even though Labour's two seats were known to be under threat here.
MICHAEL D'ARCY (FG) Wexford IT'S the second time that the farmer and former junior agriculture and fisheries minister has regained his seat. Elected in 1977, he has been a long serving member of Wexford County Council and member of the Irish Farmers Association.
JOHN FARRELLY (FG) Meath LOST his seat here in 1992. The auctioneer and farmer, who is son of Denis, Farrelly, the former Meath Dail deputy and senator, will have been helped by the massive vote for his party leader, and by the Labour casualty, Brian Fitzgerald.
DENIS NAUGHTEN (FG) Longford Roscommon SENATOR and son of the late Seanad Cathaoirleach, Liam Naughten, who was killed in a car accident last year, was one of three candidates on a formidable Fine Gael ticket. He holds a degree in industrial microbiology and a masters from UCC.
DAVID STANTON (FG) Cork East TEACHER and guidance counsellor the Midleton man is director and public relations officer of Midleton and District Day Care Centre. He took the Labour seat held here by John Mulvihill, who was first elected in 1992.
GERRY REYNOLDS (FG) Sligo Leitrim REGAINED the seat he lost here in 1992, along with running mate John Perry, at the expense of Labour's Declan Bree. A new deputy in 1989, he has politics in his genes. He is son of Pat Joe Reynolds, a former TD and senator.
JOHN PERRY (FG) Sligo Leitrim TOOK the second Fine Gael seat for Sligo Leitrim again along with party colleague and former deputy, Gerry Reynolds.
MICHAEL MOYNIHAN (FF) Cork North West THE 28 year old dairy farmer lives in Kiskeam, seven miles from Kanturk. Born with "de Valera on the tip of the tongue", he comes from a staunch Fianna Fail background.
BILLY KELLEHER (FF) Cork North Central NOMINATED to the Sean ad by Albert Reynolds in 1993 and ran unsuccessfully in the Cork by election in 1994. Had a minor spat with the law last year around selection convention time but charges were dropped.
NOEL O'FLYNN (FF) Cork North Central THE third Fianna Fail musketeer in Cork North Central, he is managing director of his own motor business. Elected to Cork Corporation in June 1991 he is chairman of its environment committee.
JOHNNY BRADY (FF) Meath ONE of three successful Fianna Fail candidates in Meath, the other two being Noel Dempsey and Mary Wallace. He was elected to Meath County Council in 1974 and was chairman from 1995-1996.
TOM ENRIGHT (FG) Laois-Offaly PARLIAMENTARY party chairman lost his seat in 1992, and was determined to win it back. A solicitor in Birr, he has been a member of Offaly County Council since 1967.
ULICK BURKE (FG) Galway East NATIONAL school teacher, the Loughrea deputy is a former senator and a member of Galway County Council and Co Galway VEC. He is also on the board of management of Portumna Community School and Ballinasloe Vocation School.
BILLY TIMMINS (FG) Wicklow JOINED the Army as a cadet in 1977 and was commissioned in 1979. He has been stationed in Galway, Donegal and Kilkenny, served overseas with the UN in Lebanon and Cyprus, and stood down to run for the Dail when his father Godfrey retired as a TD.
DAN NEVILLE (FG) Limerick West SENATOR since 1989, the Rathkeale man is a fell time public representative who contested Dail elections in 1987, 1989 and 1992. He was tipped to take advantage here where the decision by two sitting deputies, Gerry Collins and Michael J Noonan, not to run opened up the contest.
LOUIS BELTON (FG) Longford Roscommon ONLY a week ago, the bachelor senator and former building society employed, who lost his seat in 1992, promised his party leader that he would go all the way and find himself a wife if he got back.
DICK ROCHE (FF) Wicklow STAUNCH supporter of Bertie Ahern when he considered standing for leadership of the party in February 1992, but Ahern then withdrew. A former chairman of the Irish Commission for Justice and Peace, he won a UN human rights fellowship in 1979.
JOHN DENNEHY (FF) Cork South Central AS Lord Mayor of Cork, he was behind the Cork 800 project and has been party chairman and whip on Cork Corporation. The former engineer supervisor in Irish Steel hash been a poll topper in every local election since 1979.
JOHN McGUINNESS (FF) Carlow Kilkenny LAST year's Mayor of Kilkenny, he is managing director of Fastmac Express Delivery Services and has served on Kilkenny county council since 1991.
PAT CAREY (FF) Dublin North West DECORATED by the Pope for his youth work in 1980, Mr Carey has been a primary teacher in Finglas since 1967, vice principal of St Finian's School and was elected to Dublin Corporation in 1985.
SEAN ARDAGH (FF) Dublin South Central CHARTERED accountant and county councillor, he is a director of the South Dublin County Enterprise Board. He was first elected to South Dublin County Council in 1985.
EDDIE WADE (FF) Limerick East A GAA man and vice chairman of Limerick County Board, Mr Wade. contested the last two general elections and lost by a mere 74 votes in 1992.
SEAN FLEMMING (FF) LaoisOffaly CHARTERED accountant and one of four Fianna Fail candidates to regain free seats for the party in a constituency vacated by two outgoing deputies, Liam Hyland and Ger Connolly. National financial director of the party.
JOHN MOLONEY (FF) Laois Offaly AN undertaker, publican, and county councillor who formerly worked in Dublin Airport's control tower, he is one of the new candidates to hold on to this Fianna Fail stronghold.
MICHAEL COLLINS (FF) Limerick West BROTHER of Gerry, he is prominent in the hotel industry and has served as chairman of Limerick County Council.