If Kyne wins Galway West it will be ‘victory for centrist politics’

Fine Gael senator Sean Kyne has narrowed the gap between him and Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas after transfers from the eliminated Fianna Fail candidate.

Mr Thomas had extended his lead over Mr Kyne by 2,000 votes earlier on Sunday by the seventh and eighth count, after topping the poll with 10,007 first preference votes, followed closely by Mr Kyne on 9,647.

When Fianna Fail councillor Cillian Keane’s 5,154 votes were distributed, it narrowed the gap between Mr Thomas and Mr Kyne by 325.

The remaining candidates, the Social Democrats’ Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich and the Labour party’s Helen Ogbu, are expected to leapfrog Mr Kyne ahead of Mr Thomas.

Mr Thomas is a former Fianna Fail representative who left the party in 2024 after stating Ireland should stop accepting asylum-seekers because “the inn is full”.

Tanaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said if Mr Kyne wins in Galway West, it will be “a victory for centrist politics”.

“Government parties very rarely win by-elections – extraordinarily rare for a government party to win a by-election – and the fact that Sean Kyne is in very strong contention here I think speaks to Sean Kyne’s ability, his track record of delivery, I think it also speaks to the healthy state of the Fine Gael organisation,” Mr Harris said in Galway on Sunday.

“What I take from this is a small sense of encouragement that people will respond to politics that is about trying to deliver solutions, politics that is trying to not be angry or loud or shouty but actually trying to work hard to deliver.

“If we prevail today, I think that’s a victory for centrist politics.”

Earlier, Leader of Independent Ireland Michael Collins said Mr Thomas had achieved an “incredible” first preference vote and that transfers from Ms Ogbu and Mr Keane would be crucial.

“It’s really down to transfers now,” Mr Collins told RTE’s The Week In Politics.

“Being honest, the biggest amount of votes are going to be the Fianna Fail candidate’s votes and the Labour candidate’s votes, and at this stage they look to us from what we’re reading as if they’re falling towards the Fine Gael candidate.

“It looks to me as if the pact between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail – who, to me, are the one party now – is working out in their favour, and all are transferring very freely towards Fine Gael. That’s being honest.

“I’m not going to lead any listeners astray, but in saying that, you know, if we can get a sizeable lead before we end up with those transfers, then that might put us in a strong position.”

Fine Gael director of elections, Minister Peter Burke, said Mr Kyne had fought a “strong” campaign and people “chose the politics of buildings solutions as opposed to the politics of anger”.

“It’s a very strong election for Fine Gael as well.

“Yesterday, more people voted for Fine Gael across both byelections than any other political party,” he told RTE on Sunday.

“It gives us an opportunity to be even more restless to make more progress for the Irish people in the months and years ahead.”

Labour councillor Helen Ogbu said she was “overwhelmed” at her performance in the Galway West by-election, as Labour leader Ivana Bacik said that she would be elected a TD in the next general election.

Ms Ogbu finished third, with 5,462 first preference votes, rising to 12,960 votes as eliminated candidates’ transfers were dispersed.

Speaking after she was eliminated on the 10th count, she said her by-election performance was “a testament of what is to come in the next general election”.

“I’m not going anywhere, this is just the beginning,” she said, flanked by Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Wexford TD George Lawlor.

“Thanks to the people for giving me the honour and the privilege to run, and for also telling us and showing and proving that Galway is an inclusive county, is a welcoming place, is a place where diversity thrives.”

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has said she is not normally emotional but the byelection results feel “monumental”.

She said their Galway West candidate Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich’s campaign was “such a success” as they almost doubled their vote share and she is on track to finish in fourth position.

She says she believes the party can take a seat in Galway West in the next general election.

“I think we’re really well positioned in Galway West going forward and we’re all just so proud of Míde,” she said.

The counting of votes at the count centre at Galway Lawn Tennis Club resumed from 9am on Saturday as Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns hailed a “stunning” result for her party in Dublin Central.

Children’s football coach and father-of-two Daniel Ennis took a second seat for the party in the four-seat constituency – the constituency of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald.

It is the first time the 10-year-old party has had two seats in a single constituency.

Mr Ennis hugged his fiancee Chloe as supporters chanted “Danny” after the result was declared after midnight in the RDS.

He thanked those who put their trust in him and said he “won’t let them down”.

The by-election results have left parties examining their performances, particularly Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein.

Senior Fianna Fail figures have admitted to poor results in Dublin Central, though are more hopeful about their showing in Galway West.

Their candidate John Stephens polled at 4% in Dublin Central, while new councillor Cillian Keane got 8.8% in Galway West.

The party used to hold three out of five seats in Galway West, the constituency of Eamon O Cuiv who is the grandson of Fianna Fail founder, former taoiseach and Irish president Eamon de Valera.

Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said it was a “poor result” in Dublin Central, and that his party has “real problems” with “some constituencies”.

He added: “We would have preferred a higher percentage outcome.”

Ms McDonald, meanwhile, has defended her leadership and Sinn Fein’s performance after its candidate Janice Boylan came second in Dublin Central.

She said the trajectory of Irish politics over the past 10 years was one of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s decline and the “growth of politics beyond that”.

She added: “We are absolutely front and centre in that, we’re not the totality of it, we recognise that too, but we have had tremendous, tremendous success.

“We have grown and we will grow again.”

Voters in Galway and Dublin cast their votes on Friday to fill seats vacated by Catherine Connolly in Galway West when she became president and former minister Paschal Donohoe, who stopped representing Dublin Central to become the World Bank’s chief knowledge officer.

The turnout in Dublin Central was 39% while in Galway West it was 44%.