A perennial favourite with Wexford voters despite his party's poor performance, the outgoing Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform retains the seat he has held for Labour since 1987. A seasoned campaigner with experience in two governments, Howlin (59) has previously served in ministries including health and environment before being given responsibility for arguably Labour's most influential Cabinet position following his election in 2011. Over the course of the last government his department formulated the new Lansdowne Road Agreement following exhaustive negotiations with public service unions following the precursor Haddington Road Agreement. The strained fiscal environment of the last government's early years meant Howlin was the bearer of bad news in successive budgets, with cuts to child benefits, the Christmas bonus and education spending leaving a sour taste with much of the electorate. The more expansive budgets of recent years will have helped to rehabilitate his electability somewhat, although the size of his vote did sustain a hit. – CIARÁN D'ARCY