Kilkenny and Carlow will have a new MEP each when European parliament resumes for its next term.
Fianna Fáil’s Liam Aylward was the last to represent the area in Europe, Aylward retiring ahead of the 2014 European elections.
As of tonight, however, current Carlow-Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion and political newcomer Cynthia Ní Mhurcú will be representing the interests of the southeast and the Ireland South constituency in Brussels and Strasbourg.
Sinn Féin’s Funchion received a huge boost from the elimination of running-mate Paul Gavan on count 14, collecting an additional 15,750 votes to put her clear of the transfer-friendly independent TD Michael McNamara.
Going into the 20th count, following the elimination of sitting Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan, Funchion sat on 82,508, trailing McNamara by just over 5,000 votes, with Carlow native Ní Mhurcú a further 6,608 back. Crucially for her and Fianna Fáil, the pro-European candidate was almost 2,000 votes clear of sitting MEP Mick Wallace of Independents 4 Change.
Going into the final hours of counting, the expectation was that transfers from outgoing MEP Grace O’Sullivan would heavily favour Cynthia Ní Mhurcu more than Mick Wallace, and that turned out to be the case.
With 69,197 of O’Sullivan’s votes being distributed, the final count left Wallace lacking on transfers with votes going along Government lines with Ní Mhurcú helped over the line, head of Funchion, and into the final seat. McNamara, Ní Mhurcú, and Funchion were all deemed elected without reaching quota.
The final count for those seats was (via);
- 3. IND Michael McNamara +6114 92,871
- 4. FF Cynthia Ní Mhurcú +19,979 92,502
- 5. SF Kathleen Funchion +7,755 90,070
#TORADH i dToghlach an Deiscirt
Michael McNamara TOFA
Kathleen Funchion SF TOFA
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú FF TOFA #Vóta24 @NuachtTG4 #IrelandSouth pic.twitter.com/k0gHW5XWm7
— Marian O’Flaherty (@oflaherty_news) June 13, 2024
Wexford and Waterford’s MEPs depart, with Kilkenny and Carlow’s newcomers now set to prepare for their first plenary session of the new legislative term, beginning with four days in Strasbourg from 19 July.
Find out more here about what happens after the European elections.
As a sitting Carlow-Kilkenny TD, it remains to be seen as to what will happen to Funchion’s seat in the Dáil with a by-election for Carlow-Kilkenny likely in the offing, similarly too for Clare with the election of independent TD Michael McNamara. And with Taoiseach Simon Harris suggesting the Government will complete their term to 2025, these may not be the only by-elections to take place before the year is out.
We’ll have more on this story across news and The KCLR Daily on Friday.
