European Elections 2024: Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher takes second seat in Ireland South constituency

Fine Gael’s Sean Kelly was the first person elected to the European Parliament in the constituency.

Ireland South

Cork man Kelleher celebrated with his staff and party leader Micheal Martin at Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork after the 18th count.

Independent TD Michael McNamara and Sinn Fein’s Kathleen Funchion are expected to be elected after transferring well.

Outgoing Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan, who is expected to be eliminated after Mr Kelleher’s surplus is distributed, will decide who wins the final seat – outgoing MEP Mick Wallace or Mr Kelleher’s running mate Cynthia Ni Mhurchu.

Earlier, Ms O’Sullivan voiced her concerns about Ireland’s representation in the European Parliament on climate issues without any Green Party MEP.

Calling her comments “the swan song”, she said it was up to government parties to speak up on the need for action to tackle climate change.

Anti-immigrant campaigner Derek Blighe (IF) was then eliminated in the 16th count.

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Midlands North-West

Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew has leapfrogged Independent Ireland candidate Ciaran Mullooly into fifth place after she benefitted from transfers from party colleague Chris MacManus. MacManus has lost his seat as an MEP and was excluded after count 17.

The re-distribution of 36,157 votes from MacManus brought an immense amount of transfer votes (20,692) to Ms Gildernew bringing her to the fifth position in the five-seater constituency.

So far, no one has been deemed elected at the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

Independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan has a sizeable lead over Nina Carberry (Fine Gael), Barry Cowen (Fianna Fail), and Maria Walsh (Fine Gael).

Reacting today, after he was eliminated MacManus said: “It’s no secret that Sinn Fein didn’t have a good election day. Me and my team have worked very hard the last couple of weeks during the actual campaign.

Chris MacManus speaks after losing seat as MEP

“I committed myself to the full four years of being the MEP and worked as hard as I possibly could. Unfortunately, it wasn’t me to be elected this time.

“Now, I am only hoping that my transfers work to ensure that Michelle Gildernew is there right till the end of the possibility of winning a seat.”

The 17th count shook the positions of the remaining candidates in the run for five seats. Fine Gael’s Nina Carberry received a fair amount of transfer votes bringing her back into second position, with 86,268 votes. Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen is next up, in third, just 30 votes ahead of sitting Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh.

Independent candidate Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan is edging closer to reaching the quota of 113,325 votes needed, as he continues to top the poll.

The score board for this five seater run is:

Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan 110,533

Nina Carberry (FG) 86,865

Maria Walsh (FG) 86,401

Barry Cowen (FF) 85,592

Michelle Gildernew (SF) 74,795

Ciaran Mullooly (II) 73,101

Lisa Chambers (FF) 60,537

No candidate has reached the quota and the candidate with the lowest count Peadar Tóibín (Aontú) has now been eliminated.

His 56,633 votes are now being re-distributed.

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