Aylward looks on course to win back Dail seat

Former TD Bobby Aylward looks on course to win back the Dail seat he lost in the 2011 General Election.

With 96% of the ballot boxes now opened in the Carlow-Kilkenny By-election, the Fianna Fail candidate is out ahead on 28%, ahead of nearest challenger, Fine Gael’s David Fitzgerald (21.2%). Sinn Fein candidate Kathleen Funchion is on 16%, while Reuna Ireland councillor Patrick McKee is on 9.4%.

Turnout for the by-election is around 63%, and the likely quota will be around 33,000. The following are the totals thus far:

B Aylward: 28%.

D Fitzgerald: 21.2%.

K Funchion: 16%.

P McKee: 9.4%.

W Quinn: 6.5%.

M Noonan: 5.3%.

B Gardner: 4.4%.

A Wallace: 3.4%.

C MacLiam: 3.2%.

P O’ Loughlin: 1.3%.

D Holohan: 0.5%.

N Walsh: 0.4%.