Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion still very much in the hunt for a seat in the European Parliament

Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion is still very much in the hunt for a seat in the European Parliament, with a lot of counting still to come.

She will be depending on transfers from her running mate Paul Gavan. The Kilkenny TD picked up 50,580 first preference votes in Count 1.

It looks to be many more counts before the second MEP seat in Ireland South is filled. The second count was completed just after 2pm Tuesday, though no candidates picked up enough transfers from Sean Kelly to be deemed elected on this count.

Independent Ciaran O’Riordan was eliminated as the candidate with the lowest number of votes, and his total 2,485 votes are now being distributed.

With 21 candidates still left to go, it could be  a long week of counts before we see a second MEP elected. Currently sitting in second place is Fianna Fáil’s sitting MEP Billy Kelleher, now with 93,037 votes. 

He is predicted to retain his seat and be elected next. In third place is Clare TD Michael McNamara now on 56,862 votes, followed closely by Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Mhurchú on 55,979, while Independent MEP Mick Wallace is fifth on 53,193. Sitting MEP for the Green Party Grace O’Sullivan also can’t be ruled out yet with 48,022 votes, meaning it will be a long and drawn out battle for the last three seats in Europe.