Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness was re-elected tonight on the first count in Ireland East. She exceeded the 107,313 quota by 3,053 votes.
Her party colleague John Paul Phelan is not expected to hold the second seat although he refused to concede defeat.
Labour candidate Nessa Childers polled 78,338 votes while Fianna Fáil’s Liam Aylward who had been considered at risk came third on 74,666 first preference votes. Party colleague Thomas Byrne, TD for Meath East polled 31,112 first preference votes.
Senator Phelan had 61,851 votes.
Libertas candidate Raymond O'Malley, a farmer and businessman polled 18,557 votes. .
Sinn Féin's Kathleen Funchion, a trade union organiser, got 26,567 votes and a considerable number of those are 'plumpers', voters who cast their ballot for her alone.
The party is also running a second candidate Tomas Sharkey whose transfers are expected to go to her. He received 20,932 first preference votes.
Independent Jim Tallon, a farmer got 2,412, while another independent Paddy Garvey received 2,934. The lowest vote went to Independent Michael Grealy a pensioner who got 1,514 votes.
The second count is expected to go late into the night with the transfer of Ms McGuinness’s surplus.
Ms McGuinnes was reluctant to concede defeat for her party colleague because at the last European election she recalled, Avril Doyles defeat was predicted but she went on to victory gaining a second seat for the party in the constituency.
Ms Doyle who officially retires July 13th said they would have an “uphill battle” to hold the second seat but they had had a wonderful turnout and after just 12 weeks on the campaign John Paul a relatively unknown candidate received a remarkable 61,000 votes.
There were an estimated 13,042 spoiled votes.