- Willie Aird (Fine Gael) looks set to top the poll
- Maria McCormack performs well for Sinn Féin – but currently behind Brian Stanley
- Sean Fleming comfortable but will have to wait through the counts
- Independents Aisling Moran and Elaine Mullally don’t look to be in contention
Willie Aird is on his way to Dáil Eireann.
Elected at local level for the first time in 1979, the veteran local Fine Gael councillor who now looks certain to take the first seat in this General Election in Laois.
Tallies from the count centre in Portlaoise have Aird at close to 25% of the poll, meaning that he could well be elected on the first count.
It is a stunning personal success for Aird as he went outside his traditional Portlaoise base for the first time – but got votes all over the county.
Fianna Fáil’s long-serving TD Sean Fleming and Independent Brian Stanley are looking strong for the other two seats – though Sinn Féin’s new candidate Maria McCormack has polled quite strongly and isn’t out of the running. She will be in fourth place when the official first count is completed this evening.
It is disappointment for Independent candidates Aisling Moran and Elaine Mullally, who put in huge campaigns but look set to fall short.
It is also a disappointing election for Fianna Fáil’s second candidate Austin Stack. He was only added to the ticket just as the election was called three weeks ago and got little traction.
Ken Mooney (People Before Profit), Mary Hand (Aontu), Pauline Flanagan (Independent), Rosie Palmer (Green Party) and Jason Lynch (Independent) will not be in the running.
It is likely that the Portlaoise-based Jason Lynch will be the first to be eliminated.
We will publish a final tally when we have it available.
SEE ALSO – Follow the LaoisToday Live Blog for all of the updates from the count centre
