Carlow-Kilkenny results: Green Party’s Malcolm Noonan takes final seat

Dismal results for Fine Gael with vote down 6% and sitting TD Pat Deering losing seat

Green Party’s Malcolm Noonan was the final TD elected in the  Carlow-Kilkenny constituency
Green Party’s Malcolm Noonan was the final TD elected in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency

The Green Party claimed their first seat in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency since 2011 on the final count in the Lyrath Hotel.

The results saw Fine Gael lose one TD with the final seat count being two Fianna Fáil, one Fine Gael, one Sinn Féin and one Green Party.

Malcolm Noonan (GP) claimed the last seat after proving transfer friendly throughout the count.

He fended off sitting TD Bobby Aylward to secure his place on the tenth count.

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He spoke of the responsibility the Green Party now had to tackle climate change.

“For the first time, we didn’t have to sell the climate issue this election. Young people were asking us what we were going to do. We have a decade to sort this thing out. It puts a burden of responsibility to act. I will work with anyone to ensure there is strong climate agenda.”

Sinn Féin's Kathleen Funchion won 17,493 votes with a quota of 12,274 on the first count.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s incredible,” she said.

Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness saw his vote marginally diminish but he took the second seat on the sixth count in the early hours of Monday morning.

Fianna Fáil secured a second seat through Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor on the eighth count while John Paul Phelan (FG) was also elected on the same count.

It was a dismal election for Fine Gael with their vote down 6 per cent and sitting TD Pat Deering losing his seat.

Candidates: Bobby Aylward (FF), Helena Byrne (Renua), Pat Deering (FG), Kathleen Funchion (SF), Alan Hayes (Ind), Denis Hynes (Lab), John McGuinness (FF), Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (FF), Malcolm Noonan (GP), Melissa O'Neill (The Irish Freedom Party), Patrick O'Neill (FG), John Paul Phelan (FG), Angela Ray (Ind), Adrienne Wallace (PBP).