Fine Gael’s Hildegarde Naughton has been re-elected to the Dáil in Galway West. The former teacher was elected to Galway City Council for the first time in 2009 and became mayor two years later, but was unsuccessful in her first attempt at a Dáil election that year.

She was appointed as a senator by Enda Kenny in 2013, a clear indication of the party’s faith in her ahead of other Galway candidates, and in 2016 she delivered when she took a seat in Dáil Éireann, seeing off the challenge of former Galway and Mayo football manager John O’Mahony, an outgoing TD.

She again claimed the last seat in the constituency in the 2020 election and was appointed to a number of junior ministerial roles, and in April this year was appointed Government Chief Whip after Simon Harris took over.

She faced a big challenge from party colleague Seán Kyne in this election but, similar to 2020, did enough to edge him out and get over the line.