Local election enters Day 2

Counting begins again at 10am

With five candidates elected across the three electoral areas- Cavan-Belturbet, Ballyjamesduff, and Bailieborough-Cootehill- having met their respective quota, counting in Cavan will start again from 10am.

In Cavan-Belturbet, with 12 candidates standing, Fianna Fáil's Áine Smith and Independent Brendan Fay got above the 1,431 threshold. The total valid poll was 10,130, with 120 spoiled votes.

Áine Smith, daughter of the late sitting councillor Séan Smith, and niece to Brendan Smith TD, has topped the poll in the area with 1,763.

Her surplus of 332 will be divided first this morning.

A secondary teacher at St Mogue's College in Bawnboy, and previously at Loreto College in Cavan Town, Smith was co-opted onto the seat vacated by her late father back in March last year.

Independent Brendan Fay did better than in 2019 with 1,627 first preferences coming his way in 2024.

All attentions now will turn to the six candidates still in with a chance of claiming one of the final four seats remaining.

In the Ballyjamesduff MD, Independent Ireland's Shane P O'Reilly is on course to top the poll countywide this election with 1,874 (up from 1,703 in 2019) votes, and ahead of Fine Gael's Trevor Smith on 1,763.

The Irish Freedom Party's Kieron Goggins, with 109 votes, and losing his deposit, will be eliminated first.

Fine Gael's Winston Bennett (1,457), and TP O' Reilly (1,252) are all running close with Fianna Fáíl's Philip Brady (1,295) and Sinn Féin's Noel Connell (1,068), but Shamrock Independent's Lester Gordon (958) cannot be discounted.

After that its Fianna Fáil's Nathan Galligan (826) and Aontú's Grainne McPhillips (761).

Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly has now topped the poll twice in a row in the Bailieborough-Cootehill area with 1,770 first preferences.

The total valid poll was 12,007, with 140 spoiled votes cast.

She has a surplus of 54.

Fine Gael's Carmel Brady (1,684) and Val Smith (1,392) are hoping they've done enough to be safe, along with Fianna Fáil stalwart Clifford Kelly on 1,235 first.

Sinn Féin still have two candidates in contention with outgoing Sinn Féin councillor Paddy McDonald (763) and newcomer Stiofan Conaty (1,071).

But they face competition for a seat from Fianna Fáil's Aiden Fitzpatrick (1,175) and Deputy Niamh Smyth's cousin Niall Smith (1,088).