The second day of the 2024 General election count in Dundalk began at 9.00 this morning with the top three candidates at this stage, Sinn Féin’s Ruairí Ó Murchú and Joanna Byrne and Labour’s Ged Nash all in an unassailable position.

Fighting it out for the final two seats are Erin McGreehan (FF), Paula Butterly (FG) and Alison Comyn of Fianna Fáil so the likelihood is that Louth will have three female TDs in the next Dáíl.

The quota is 10,623 votes but none of the candidates has achieved that number yet so the process of eliminations of the lower ranked candidates’ transfer votes will decide the matter until there are only five left standing. This is the current position of the top ten candidates at 10.30 this morning:

1. Ruairí Ó Murchú (SF) - 8,803
2. Joanna Byrne (SF) - 8,245
3. Ged Nash (LAB) - 7,691
4. Erin McGreehan (FF) - 5,796
5. Paula Butterly (FG) - 5,675
6. Alison Comyn (FF) - 4,945
7. John McGahon (FG) - 4,051
8. Antóin Watters (SF) - 3,801
9. Kevin Callan (IND) - 3,339
10. Hermann Kelly (IFP) - 2,731