Election Daily: first counts trickle in and anti-immigration candidates falter

Jack Horgan-Jones joins Hugh Linehan to analyse the latest news from count centres across the country.First count results are starting to trickle in with Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill the first TD to be elected after meeting the quota in Dún Laoghaire.Tallies indicate that Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty will romp home in Donegal.Controversial Senator John McGahon unlikely to win a seat in LouthWith 8,820 first preference votes, first time candidate Brian Brennan, a hotelier, has topped the poll as Fine Gael’s sole candidate in this new, three-seat constituency.A year ago, it looked like immigration was going to be a defining issue for this election – but it’s not looking hopeful for a slew of candidates who ran primarily on that issue, including Philip Dwyer who has bombed in Wicklow, securing less than 1 per cent of the vote.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.