Dublin Lord Mayor set to lose seat
Labour look set to be left with just eight seats in Dublin city wards as voters move to Sinn Féin and Independents, according to latest tallies.
With tallies finished in the nine areas of the city, Sinn Féin and Independents look likely now to take two-thirds of all seats.
Worrying indications for Labour also show that the party’s city mayor Oisin Quinn is now set to lose his seat.
In Ballymun, Sinn Féin will take at least two seats, but here former Labour Lord Mayor Andrew Montague will retain his seat.
In the North Inner City, Sinn Féin will take at least three of the eight seats and Independents at least two, possibly three. Here, former Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe will make a return.
The Greens look set to take six of the 63 seats available in the Dublin region in what Mr Cuffe termed a "comeback".
Further south in the city, in eight-seater Pembroke-South Dock, former Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews will top the poll after his move to Sinn Féin in the mixed ward.
Labour appear to have split their vote here and will only bring in sitting councillor Dermot Lacey out of its three candidates.
Other high-profile Labour figures are in a fight to hang onto their seats, including the party’s legal advisor Richard Humphries in the affluent Stillorgan ward, while party national organiser Brian McDowell may just take one of the final seats in Beaumount Donaghmade.
Earlier this morning, Labour’s Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin admitted that “the hunt” was on for party candidates to try and get transfers and a seat in the counts.
Overall, the party may only take eight seats, down from its 20 in the last Dublin city elections in 2009.
