VOTERS IN their 50s will be the best-represented group in the new Dáil, with a total of 46 of the 154 deputies elected so far in the 50-59 age bracket.
Just five new TDs are aged between 20 and 29, with Fine Gael boasting three
20-something deputies: Eoghan Murphy, Brendan Griffin and Paul Connaughton. Simon Harris (24) is expected to take a seat in Wicklow, where the result has been delayed because of a recount.
Fianna Fáil and Labour returned one 20-something each: Robert Troy for Fianna Fáil and Labour’s Derek Nolan.
There will be 34 30-somethings in the 31st Dáil and 37 deputies in the 40-49 age bracket.
Thirty-three are in the 60-69 age group.
In terms of gender balance,
all five newly elected TDs in their 20s are men.
Three of those in their 30s are women, along with 10 of those in their 40s.
Among the TDs who are aged between 50 and 59, five of the 46 are women and there are also five women among the 32 elected in the 60-69 age group.
A total of 23 women deputies have been returned, the same number as left the 30th Dáil.
Former Fine Gael TD Deirdre Clune was unlucky, losing her seat in Cork-South Central on what was a very good day for her
party.
Of the 566 candidates,
86 were women while 480 were men.
The age profile was similar across most parties, with Green candidates a little younger and Labour deputies slightly older on average.
The youngest deputy in the last Dáil was Fine Gael’s Lucinda Creighton, while her party colleague Damien English was Leinster House’s most youthful deputy when he was first elected in 2002.
The broadcaster Ivan Yates was only 21 when he was first elected to the Dáil.
Young candidates did not do very well this time, however. High-profile Independent candidate in Dublin South East Dylan Haskins polled just 1,383 votes, while the Green Party’s Darcy Lonegan in Cavan-Monaghan polled 530 and the Socialist Party’s Cian Prendiville 721.
Sinn Féin’s youngest
candidate was 22-year-old Kathryn Reilly, who was Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin’s unsuccessful running mate in Cavan-Monaghan.
Fianna Fáil’s two youngest candidates were both 24 – Lisa Chambers in Mayo, running mate to Dara Calleary; and Dublin West’s David McGuinness, who was on the ticket with Brian Lenihan.
Fine Gael’s youngest was 23-year-old Liam Quinn in Laois-Offaly, while Labour’s was Derek Nolan (28) in Galway West.
