The seventh count in Galway West has now been completed.
Noel Thomas of Independent Ireland currently leads the race with 12,947 votes, while Fine Gael candidate Seán Kyne remains close behind on 11,114 votes.
The eighth count is now underway and will involve the redistribution of votes from Independent candidate Mike Cubbard.
Fine Gael sources have said they remain optimistic, expressing confidence that transfers from Fianna Fáil voters could strengthen Seán Kyne’s position.
Ennis was elected on the ninth count after gaining transfers from Green Party candidate Janet Horner. These additional votes brought his total to 12,050, putting him well ahead of Sinn Féin candidate Janice Boylan, who finished with 7,787 votes.
Fianna Fáil’s candidate, Mr Stephens, was eliminated during the second count after receiving just 4% of first-preference votes. Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the outcome as a “poor result” for the party.
The disappointing performance did not come as a major surprise to Fianna Fáil. Minister Darragh O’Brien acknowledged the challenge of the constituency, saying it was one of only three constituencies the party failed to win in the previous general election.
Read more about the Dublin Central Election here.
Daniel Ennis has spent the past three years involved in politics. Before entering public life, he played football in the League of Ireland, and supporters believe the determination he showed on the pitch will translate into his work in the Dáil.
Since becoming a TD, Ennis has said he is motivated by “a desire to do better” and has promised to serve as an “honest” and “hardworking” representative.
During his time as a councillor, his priorities included addressing the housing crisis, reducing poverty, and increasing Garda presence to improve public safety.
There have also been allegations regarding his father’s reported links to Gerry “The Monk” Hutch and alleged gang involvement. Ennis has addressed the issue publicly, stating that anything he knows about his father’s past “would have been through a newspaper.”
