Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are set to lose seats in the local elections and yet both parties said they were happy with the outcome as it exceeds the expectations of polling over many months.
As votes continued to be counted last night the old Civil War parties, the two main parties in the Coalition Government, were both still in the running to be the largest party across Ireland’s city and county councils.
As of Sunday evening, with more than half the local authority seats filled, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were each on about 23 per cent of first preference votes, well ahead of Sinn Féin on 11.6 per cent.
Fine Gael sources last night said they were expecting to end up with between 225 and 230 council seats, down from the 255 it won in 2019.
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The party expected to take at least one seat in each of the three European Election constituencies with the possibility that Maria Walsh and Nina Carberry could get over the line in Midlands North-West.
“We went into this election with people predicting widespread losses for Fine Gael ... with people sceptical about our prospects in the European elections,” said Taoiseach Simon Harris.
“I want to win at least one seat in each European Election constituency. If we do that I believe that would be a good day for the party.”
Despite the better-than-expected results for Fine Gael, Mr Harris said his position on the next general election being held early next year “hasn’t changed”.
He previously said he wanted the Coalition to continue for its full term.
Fianna Fáil leader Tánaiste Micheál Martin also poured cold water on the chances of an early general election.
Fianna Fáil won 279 local election seats in 2019 and is set to lose several of those.
However, the losses will not be as great as feared and if the party wins a European Parliament seat in Midlands North-West – where it did not have an MEP and Barry Cowen is believed to be doing well – Fianna Fáil’s results will be portrayed as a victory.
Mr Martin said his party was “doing far better than predicted”.
He said on Sunday he was surprised by the collapse of the Sinn Féin vote to 11 per cent.
He expressed satisfaction with the party’s performance in Europe pointing out that Billy Kelleher is on course to hold his seat in Ireland South, while he still had hopes that Cynthia Ní Mhurchú would be in the mix for the final seat.
Both Coalition leaders will come under pressure from within their parties to fire the starting gun earlier, perhaps after a giveaway budget, in light of their June 7th election performance.
Former Fine Gael minister Michael Ring suggested the country should go to the polls in October.
Mr Harris highlighted Sinn Féin’s woes when asked about the success of Independents in the elections.
“The story here I don’t think is a surge in independents. I think it’s the absolute collapse in support for Sinn Féin,” he said.
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