#GE16: Four seats on cards for Fianna Fáil in Kildare

With tallies done in both Kildare North and Kildare South, there looks to be a massive change in the county’s political landscape on the cards.

Tallies in Kildare South have Martin Heydon leading the poll at 21% with Fianna Fail debutante Fiona O’Loughlin coming second at 19% and the long-standing Fianna Fail candidate Sean O Fearghail third at 17%

Labour is out of the race in Kildare South with candidate Mark Wall at 12%, and he looks likely to fail to take the seat vacated by his retiring father, Jack.

Sinn Fein’s Patricia Ryan is on 11%, while Heydon’s Fine Gael running mate Fiona McLoughlin Healy is at just 9%.

Things are more fluid in Kildare North, and it’s likely transfers will have more of a role to play in the final shake-up.

Social Democrat Catherine Murphy is at 22% of tallied first preferences and will top the poll.

Fianna Fail’s James Lawless is second with 15.4% The other Fianna Fail candidate Frank O’Rourke is in third with 13% of the tally. Sitting Fine Gael TD Bernard Durkan is fourth with 12.5% of the vote and Anthony Lawlor of Fine Gael is on 11%.

Long-standing Labour TD for Kildare North, Emmet Stagg, who has served the constituency since 1987, looks sure to lose his seat with just 8.4% of the tally. Sinn Fein’s Reada Cronin is at 6.5%.