Politics

Kildare North results: FG’s Bernard Durkan and FF’s James Lawless take final seats

Durkan elected on sixth count, Lawless deemed elected without reaching quota

Catherine Murphy, Co-leader Social Democrats, who has been elected in Kildare North. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
Catherine Murphy, Co-leader Social Democrats, who has been elected in Kildare North. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
Conor Forrest
Mon Feb 10 2020 - 14:19

The count is all over in Punchestown and there are several familiar faces – and one new one – bound for Dáil Éireann to represent Kildare North.

Social Democrat co-leader Catherine Murphy was elected on the third count late on Sunday night – she initially topped the poll with 9,808 votes (against a quota of 10,190) and enjoyed a final tally of 11,008.

Riding the Sinn Féin wave of popularity among voters into the constituency’s second seat was Réada Cronin, whose share of the first preference votes was 8,705. She was elected on count six this afternoon with a total of 11,079 votes.

Also elected on count six in this constituency was Fine Gael's Bernard Durkan, deemed to be elected with a total vote of 10,258. Fianna Fáil TD James Lawless wrapped up the last of the four seats, despite not reaching the quota, with a final tally of 9,357.

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Réada Cronin’s election means that Kildare now has two Sinn Féin TDs in its two constituencies, after Patricia Ryan was elected in Kildare South earlier today.

Sitting TD Frank O’Rourke (FF) survived until count six but was unable to secure enough votes to take a seat.

Candidates: Réada Cronin (SF), Bernard Durkan (FG), James Lawless (FF), Anthony Lawlor (FG), Paul Mahon (S-PBP), Vincent P Martin (GP), David Monaghan (Ind), Catherine Murphy (Soc Dem), Séamus Ó Riain (Renua), Frank O'Rourke (FF), Emmet Stagg (Lab), Wayne Swords (Ind).