FG clinches second European seat in East constituency
Fine Gael has capped a resurgent performance in last Friday’s elections by clinching a second European Parliament seat in the East constituency.
A marathon count that continued until after 1am saw sitting Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle retain her seat at the expense of the Labour Party’s Peter Cassells.
Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness was also elected on the first count on Sunday, with Fianna Fáil’s Liam Aylward taking the other seat. Ms Doyle’s victory brings Fine Gael’s total number of MEPs to five – the largest of any party – and represents an increase of one on the last election, despite an overall reduction in available seats from 15 to 13.
Responding to the result, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny vowed to build on the momentum and remove Fianna Fáil from power at the next general election.
“The people have voted for integrity, for straight talk, for decency and for candidates and a party that will stand up for the people,” he said.
“It’s my responsibility as leader of the largest party in opposition to deal with that and to present the people of the country with an alternative and a clear choice.”
Ms Doyle, meanwhile, said her victory showed that Fine Gael was still a force to be reckoned with.
“It sends a clear message out that Fine Gael are the government-in-waiting, that Fine Gael is alive and well and that what happened in the last general election was an aberration,” she said.
