Hugh O’Connell

Nov 30, 2024 | thetimes.com | Hugh O’Connell |Claire Scott |Julieanne Corr

Micheál Martin and Simon Harris are locked in a tight battle to become the next taoiseach in the new year as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will begin talks to re-enter a coalition this week. With counting likely to continue for several days, the parties are vying for the final Dail seats but sources in both parties acknowledged last night that they will attempt to re-enter a coalition. “Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are going to form a government,” a senior source told The Sunday Times.

Nov 30, 2024 | thetimes.com | Hugh O’Connell |Claire Scott

Having left a number of seats on the table four years ago, Sinn Fein was anxious to ensure it made no such mistakes on this occasion. A 71-candidate strategy, which included a number of late additions, appears to have paid off in some areas. Mary Lou McDonald’s party is in the mix for two seats in Dublin South-Central and in Dublin North-West, though the leader will not bring in a running-mate in Dublin Central.

Nov 30, 2024 | thetimes.com | Hugh O’Connell

After three torrid weeks, Simon Harris was relieved and even jubilant according to those who spoke with him minutes after last Friday’s exit poll dropped. The Fine Gael leader reminded allies that in recent days he had been written off, told he might have to serve as tanaiste for the next five years, or even be forced to resign this weekend. Instead the exit poll showed Fine Gael second, ahead of Fianna Fail, and only just behind Sinn Fein. The three main parties were neck and neck.

Nov 29, 2024 | thetimes.com | Tom Ball |Hugh O’Connell

Sinn Fein has narrowly claimed the largest share of the vote at Ireland’s election, according to an exit poll, though an obvious path to power remains elusive for the party. As polling stations across Ireland closed at 10pm on Friday, an exit poll showed the main opposition party Sinn Féin on 21.1 per cent, just ahead of Fine Gael, the party of Irish premier Simon Harris, on 21 per cent and his coalition partner Fianna Fáil third on 19.5 per cent.

Nov 29, 2024 | thetimes.com | Tom Ball |Hugh O’Connell

Sinn Fein has narrowly claimed the largest share of the vote at Ireland’s election, according to an exit poll, though an obvious path to power remains elusive for the party. As polling stations across Ireland closed at 10pm on Friday, an exit poll showed the main opposition party Sinn Féin on 21.1 per cent, just ahead of Fine Gael, the party of Irish premier Simon Harris, on 21 per cent and his coalition partner Fianna Fáil third on 19.5 per cent.