Fine Gael and the Social Democrats won seats in Dáil Éireann after a by-election in the House of Representatives. West Galway and Dublin Central constituencies.
Fine Gael’s Sean Keane has been elected interim MP for Galway West, while the Social Democrats’ Daniel Innes is now interim MP for Dublin Central.
Votes were counted at Galway Lawn Tennis Club in Salthill and at the RDS in Dublin after voters in both constituencies cast their ballots on Friday.
The purpose of a Dáil by-election is to fill a seat that becomes vacant between general elections, due to the resignation, retirement or death of a TD.
Galway
The by-election in West Galway was held to fill the vacancy left by chairwoman Catherine Connolly, who left the Dáil where she was an independent TD to pursue her ultimately successful bid for Áras last year.
There were 17 candidates competing for only one seat in these by-elections.
After the initial count, it became clear that the battle for the seat would be between Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas, who topped the poll, and Fine Gael Senator Sean Keane.
The final count in the West Galway by-election came after Labour’s Helen Ogbu was removed and her votes distributed.
Thomas had led Kane by 277 votes in this eleventh and final count.
However, it was Kane who benefited most from those moves allowing him to overtake Thomas and take the seat.
Seán Kyne was born and raised on a farm in Moycullen. Before the elections, he said, “Agriculture is in my blood and it is something I love.”
Dublin Central
The Social Democrats’ Daniel Innes won the seat in Dublin Central following the results of the ninth count in the early hours of this morning (Sunday 24 May).
He will fill the seat vacated by Fine Gael and former Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who left the Dáil to take up a key role at the World Bank.
Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan came second in the by-election in party leader Mary Lou McDonald’s constituency.
Ennis, a former League of Ireland footballer, will be elected to Dublin City Council in June 2024.
His election to the Dáil Éireann marks the first time the Social Democrats have had two MPs in the same constituency.
It also looks like the party will get more speaking time in the Dáil as it now has 12 TDs.
“To say this was a good day for the Social Democrats is an understatement,” Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said in a statement.
“This is an amazing result for Daniel – a testament to his hard work and very positive campaign.
She added: “Daniel ran a very energetic, hopeful and inclusive campaign that really resonated with voters. He is incredibly hard-working, compassionate and rooted in his community – and that really shined through.”
“Daniel’s election victory today shows that people who want an alternative to government are increasingly choosing social democrats,” Kearns said.
“I am determined to continue building on the tremendous momentum we are seeing in the Social Democratic Party and field a candidate in every constituency in the next general election,” she added.
