There are only three MEPs yet to be officially announced in Ireland, following the election of Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen in Midlands-North-West on the 20th count.
The 21st count is underway with the distribution of Luke “Ming” Flanagan’s surplus of 5,429 as it exceeds the difference between the two lowest candidates left, Michelle Gildernew of Sinn Féin and Ciaran Mullooly of Independent Ireland.
Earlier, Independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan was the first person elected in the Midlands-North-West constituency, following the conclusion of the 19th count there.
He exceeded the quota of 113,325, following the distribution of the votes of Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín.
His election comes on the fifth day of the count in Castlebar.
The Fine Gael pairing of Maria Walsh and Nina Carberry are all set to win seats.
The count also saw the exclusion of another Fianna Fáil candidate, Lisa Chambers, whose votes are being distributed.
The fifth and final seat looks like going to Independent Ireland’s Ciaran Mullooly, who has now regained a lead over Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew.
Speaking after he was deemed elected, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan thanked voters who had placed their trust in him, pledging that he would not let them down.
He paid an emotional tribute to his late parents and father-in-law, saying he missed them particularly at a time like this.
Final seats filled in Ireland South constituency
Independent Michael McNamara, Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion and Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Mhurchú have taken the final three seats in the Ireland South constituency.
Independents4Change MEP Mick Wallace lost his seat as he was the sixth and lowest-placed candidate after the 20th count in the five-seat constituency.
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They will join Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly and Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher as MEPs for Ireland South.
The final count was the distribution of the Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan’s votes.
In a statement, she said serving as an MEP was “the honour of my life” and that losing her seat was “just the latest chapter in a long story”.
Additional reporting: Paschal Sheehy
