Fianna Fáil councillor Aisling Dempsey has become the third and final TD elected in Meath West.
She will join returning Sinn Féin TD Johnny Guirke, who topped the poll, and Aontú leader and returning TD Peadar Tóibín in the 34th Dáil following the completion of counting late on Saturday night.
Ms Dempsey, the daughter of former Fianna Fáil minister Noel Dempsey, narrowly beat Fine Gael councillor Linda Nelson Murray in a fierce battle for transfers and surpluses.
She received 17 per cent of first-preference votes compared with Ms Murray’s 16 per cent.
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The contours of the race were obvious from the early afternoon when tallies showed Mr Tóibín and Mr Guirke all but certain to take a seat and Ms Dempsey or Ms Murray in contention for the third.
Former Fine Gael turned independent councillor Noel French, who received 11 per cent of first preferences was quickly out of the running while the remaining seven candidates hardly featured at all. Six of them polled at 1.5 per cent or less.
Mr Guirke was the first candidate returned, repeating his poll-topping performance of 2020, albeit with a significantly reduced vote. His supporters hoisted him on their shoulders alongside a Tricolour.
“Absolutely delighted. After losing a big area of west Meath, where I got 40 per cent of the poll, to come in here and top the poll,” Mr Guirke said.
