Fianna Fáil is continuing to clock up major seat losses in local authorities throughout the State in what is emerging as its worst result ever in a local election.
According to the latest figures, the party has seen a drop of more than seven percentage points since 1999 and may lose one in five of its local authority seats.
Sinn Féin's strong performance is reflected in an increase of just over seven percentage points. The party has almost doubled its share of the poll since 1999.
The first counts have been completed in all electoral areas, and counting is complete in 20 of the 34 areas. Two thirds of the seats have been filled, 266 by Fianna Fáil candidates, 262 by Fine Gael, 94 Labour, 17 PDs, 52 Sinn Féin, 17 Greens and 89 others.
Commenting on his party's performance, the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey said: "It could have been worse. I think we were expecting to take a hit. I think we are taking that hit. . . . it is regrettable, but not a disaster by any means."
Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey
Fine Gael has also performed better than expected with 27.5 per cent of the total first preference votes. The party is now hopeful of adding to its total of 275 seats. Its councillor Mr Liam Brazil was the first councillor declared elected in the State when he won a seat in the Waterford County area of Kilmacthomas.
Fianna Fáil has lost 13 per cent on Dublin City Council. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has increased its share of the vote in Dublin City by 10 per cent from 1999 to 18 per cent.
Labour, with 34 seats, is now the biggest party in the four areas of Dublin. Fianna Fail has 29 seats; Fine Gael has 28; Sinn Fein has 14; the Green Party has 10; the Progressive Democrats have five and 11 others won seats.
Labour has 15 seats on Dublin City Council, compared to 12 for Fianna Fail, 10 for Fine Gael and Sinn Fein, one each for the Greens and the PDs, with three others.
Fine Gael, with nine seats, is the largest party on Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown council, trailed by Fianna Fail with seven and Labour with six. Labour are also the biggest party on Fingal County Council, with six seats compared to Fianna Fail's four, Fine Gael's five, Sinn Fein's three, one Green and one PD, with four others winning.
In South Dublin, Labour has seven, Fianna Fail has six, Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Others are on three, while the Greens and PDs have two each.
Fianna Fail's vote has collapsed in Limerick City, where it lost 12 per cent of its support. Independent candidate Mr Gerry McLoughlin secured the fourth seat in Limerick City's Ward 2, joining three other Independents on the city council.
Fianna Fáil's vote in the city has dropped from 28 per cent in 1999 to just 16 per cent with current Limerick Mayor Mr Dick Sadlier among the casualties.
Overall Fine Gael secured five seats, Labour four seats, Independents six seats and Fianna Fáil held just two of the six seats it won in 1999.
Fine Gael suffered a slight setback on Limerick County Council when Mr Paddy Hourigan lost his seat in Castleconnell after 32 years in office. But the party managed to secure three out of the five seats in Newcastlewest.
A former asylum seeker from Nigeria has been elected to Ennis Town Council. Dr Taiwoo Matthew secured his seat on the 12th count with 756 votes - one over the quota. He won his seat at the expense of Labour's sitting councillor Mr Michael Corley.
Results from Tuam, Co Galway show that Fianna Fáil has lost two of the seats it held in 1999, with Independent candidates making the most gains, taking four of the nine seats. Fine Gael (3) and the Progressive Democrats (1) held onto their seats.
In North Tipperary, the Minister for Defence's son, Mr Michael Smith jnr, who was contesting his first local council election, secured his seat in Templemore. In Thurles, another son followed in his father's footsteps, with Mr Michael Lowry jnr elected to the Thurles council as an Independent candidate on the first count.
In Cavan, Fine Gael had boosted its membership on the 25-strong County Council by two while Fianna Fáil was down two. In Ballyjamesduff, Councillor Pauline Tully-McAuley, who is married to Pearse McAuley - one of the four men convicted of killing Detective Garda Jerry McCabe - was returned on the seventh and final count.
Overall, it appears that with three seats Sinn Féin are set to play an important role in the new 25 seat Cavan County Council council with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael evenly matched with 11 seats apiece.
Labour Candidate Mr Nicky Kelly has been elected on the first count in Arklow, CoWicklow. In Galway, Fianna Fáil's Mr Tim Rabbitte has lost his seat in Oranmore to Fine Gael, while in Kilkenny there are recounts under way in Kilkenny City and Thomastown with Fianna Fáil set to lose three seats according to tallies.
In Co Kerry, Mr Michael Healy-Rae (Ind) has been re-elected in Killorglin.
Labour's Mr John Penrose, brother of Willie Penrose TD, topped the poll in Mullingar, Co Westmeath as Labour increased its seats there from five to eight.
In the combined Dublin County Councils the Green Party looks set to treble its seats and has gained increased its representation in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown from one seat to four.