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GE2020: Focus turns to government formation after all 160 Dáil seats filled

All 160 seats in the 33rd Dáil have been filled, with Fianna Fáil the largest party by only one...
Newstalk
Newstalk

06.57 11 Feb 2020


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GE2020: Focus turns to governm...

GE2020: Focus turns to government formation after all 160 Dáil seats filled

Newstalk
Newstalk

06.57 11 Feb 2020


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All 160 seats in the 33rd Dáil have been filled, with Fianna Fáil the largest party by only one seat.

No party has more than 40 seats in what is the most fractured Dáil in history.

Cavan-Monaghan was the final constituency to declare just before midnight last night, with the two sitting Fianna Fáil TDs - Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth - re-elected.

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It pushed Micheál Martin's party to 38 seats - the most seats for one party, but Fianna Fáil's second worst ever election result.

Sinn Féin, meanwhile, had its best ever election, with Mary Lou McDonald's party just one behind Fianna Fáil on 37 seats.

Fine Gael managed to get 35 TDs elected - better than their 2002 result even though they got a smaller percentage of the vote.

There will be 12 Green TDs in the new Dáil, four times what the party had when the last Dáil was dissolved four weeks ago.

Labour lost a seat to return six TDs, while the Social Democrats won four extra and will also return to the Dáil with six seats.

Five Solidarity People Before Profit TDs were elected, as well as Aontú's Peadar Toibin and 20 Independents.

No combination of the largest two parties can form a government, meaning there could be many weeks of negotiations ahead as politicians examine the historic result of this election and try to shape it into a government.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has already reached out to other parties on the left to talk about government formation.

It looks as though such a coalition would not have the numbers for a majority.

However, Ms McDonald said she's exploring the idea.

She said: "Sinn Féin primarily has been returned as the vehicle for change and for new government - but the Greens and the Social Democrats have been returned equally with that bounce and mandate.

"I think there is scope for us to do something new and constructive."

The new Dáil is due to meet for the first time next week.

Reporting by Sean Defoe and Stephen McNeice
Main image: Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald addresses the media in Dublin. Picture: Niall Carson / PA Wire / PA Images.

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