Declan Kearney hails positive Sinn Fein campaign as he tops South Antrim poll

Declan Kearney from Sinn Fein said Northern Ireland needed to move forward with a “First Minister for all” after he topped the poll in the South Antrim constituency.

He easily exceeded the 7,623 quota with 9,185 first preference votes.

In his speech after the result was announced, Mr Kearney said: “I am very pleased that we have successfully achieved this mandate. Sinn Fein went into this campaign with a very positive, progressive message.

“The mandate that I have been given is a mandate which sets out a requirement now for proper powersharing to be established in the north, and for the political institutions in the six counties, and on a north-south basis, to work in the interest of every single citizen.

“We should now move forward to elect a First Minister for all.”

Mr Kearney was soon joined by John Blair from the Alliance Party after the second set of results revealed he had taken the next seat.

Mr Blair said he was “immensely pleased” at the result as he paid tribute to those who work alongside him in the party.

“It’s not just myself, it’s these people who help delivered this result in South Antrim, it’s people who are both my friends and colleagues,” he said.

Mr Blair also praised party leader Naomi Long in his remarks after the results were displayed.

“This is the result of a proper plan to progress more meaningful legislation and a determination of a promise to the people,” he said.

The three other candidates who were elected to the South Antrim constituency were the Ulster Unionist Party’s (UUP) Steve Aiken as well as Pam Cameron and Trevor Clarke from the DUP.

Mel Lucas, TUV; Roisin Lynch, SDLP; Paul Michael, UUP; Roisin Bennett, Aontu; Veronica Lesley, Green Party NI; and People Before Profit’s Jerry Maguire were all eliminated.