Counting for the European elections gets underway this morning.

With the Government parties doing much better than many predicted in the local elections, focus will turn to whether their luck will hold for the European one. 

Nationwide, 14 seats are up for grabs and Dublin tallies indicate Fianna Fáil incumbent Barry Andrews and Fine Gael's Regina Doherty will get the first two seats, with Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan likely taking the third.

Fine Gael's EU candidate Regina Doherty speaks to the media in the RDS Count Centre in Dublin, as early tallies suggested she will be elected. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/ © RollingNews.ie

Elections '24

The final seat will be a dog fight for between Niall Boylan of Independent Ireland, Labour’s Aodhan Ó Ríordáin, Ciarán Cuffe of the Greens, People Before Profit’s Bríd Smith and incumbent Clare Daly. 

“Well, we’ve been very hopeful from the beginning,” Deputy Ó Ríordáin said. 

“We had a very positive campaign, we spoke about the love of Dublin and everywhere we went there was great traction with that message and great positivity. 

“We’ll see what happens but we’re happy to be in the mix and it’ll be a long couple of days but we [Labour] have already had some great successes.” 

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland

In the Midlands-North-West seat, the counting of votes will take place in Castlebar. 

Partial tallies have taken place and across the constituency, independent Luke Ming Flanagan, Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh and former RTÉ reporter Ciaran Mullooly of Independent Ireland have been picking up votes across the board.

Meanwhile, it looks like Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen and Lisa Chambers, plus Sinn Féin’s Chris McManus and Michelle Gildernew and Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín will all be in a fight for the final two seats.

Thanks to all who engaged with me on the campaign across Monaghan, Cavan, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and Kildare.

To deliver change and to stand up for Ireland, I am asking for your number 1 vote today.

Vótáil Gildernew 1 and MacManus 2. pic.twitter.com/6bBToHyK2C

— Michelle Gildernew (@gildernewm) June 7, 2024

Counting will also take place for the five seat Ireland South constituency, which covers Munster and the counties of Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford.

Early indications are Billy Kelleher of Fianna Fáil and independent TD Michael McNamara are performing strongly.

Main image: Flags of the European Union and its member states fly in the wind in front of the building of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Picture by: Philipp von Ditfurth/DPA/PA Images