With more than three-quarters of our TDs being men, Ireland once again has one of the least balanced political systems in Europe, writes Ciairín de Buis

It's been a “change” election in so many ways, but one certainty we cling to is that we’re stuck in the same old territory when it comes to the election of women to the Dáil.

Only a generation ago, Fine Gael were able to take three of the four seats in the Cork East constituency. Now they're barely able to hold onto one.

The last three seats in Cork East were decided on Count 8 when Sean Sherlock (Lab) reached the quota and FG junior minister David Stanton and FF's new kid on the block, James O'Connor, were elected without reaching the magic figure.

The four-seater was already one of the most open in the country before a single vote was cast as three of the four TDs elected in 2016 weren't on the ballot this time out.

Pat Buckley, from Midleton, topped the poll with an impressive 12,587 first preferences, which got him elected on the first count as the quota was 10,909.

Pat Buckley was elected on the first count in Cork East.

The prospects for FG junior minister David Stanton have improved and many believe that he will now win the second seat being well ahead of his running partner Pa O'Driscoll.

There’s a reason why everyone around Micheál Martin looks exhausted these days. He walks so fast during his canvassing, they have to run to keep up.

Across the Atlantic, we have witnessed some very odd behaviour by two senior politicians, in the form of petulance in the US House of Congress.

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald is confident the party will defend all three seats it currently holds across Cork City and county in the upcoming general election.

It is all eyes on Fianna Fáil in Cork North-Central where the party is scrambling to continue its presence in the wake of Billy Kelleher’s departure to Europe.

As picturesque Garryvoe basked in glorious sunshine, Leo Varadkar was certainly feeling the heat.

The Taoiseach has conceded that his party would be willing to support a Fianna Fáil-led Government under a new confidence and supply agreement.

A lobby group fighting for better pay and conditions for the Defence Forces is considering mounting an assault on the Dáil — through the ballot box.

A two-year-old girl taken to hospital from an apartment in Cork city earlier today, has died.

A Dáil committee has heard that it is “proving to be very complex and unclear” as to who is responsible for providing the €3m required to repair a threatened historic weir in Cork.

Cork County Council has paid more than €2m since 2014 to a private company for enforcing parking laws in Mallow and Douglas, figures seen by the Irish Examiner reveal.

The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, has spent over €90,000 on public relations in just over a year, in addition to the agency’s own internal communications office, for services that include preparing officials for Oireachtas committees appearances.

Tears of joy and looks of despair were in evidence as Cork’s overwhelming decision to repeal the Eighth Amendment was made official.

The public should know the official result of the Eighth Amendment referendum this afternoon after a strong turnout in the historic vote.

An online petition has been organised in the hope the Boundary Commission examining electoral areas in Cork will undo some previous “incomprehensible” decisions which literally divided main streets in a town and village.

An internal war has broken out in Fine Gael over election selection for Cork North West, with former TD Áine Collins declaring she feels “betrayed” by a party decision to woo an independent politician onto the ticket.

He is not a gambler, he is a mathematician. He plots three, four steps ahead. He will not risk a Theresa May calamity on the basis of two or three polls. He genuinely wants this to go on, writes Daniel McConnell

The Dáil is set to gain two more TDs from the next election as Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is a major winner in the redraw of constituency boundaries announced tonight, writes Daniel McConnell.

The leader of Fine Gael is expected to be declared before 6pm this evening after a 16-day campaign.

The Diocese of Cloyne has upheld the decision by one of its priests to remove one of its parishioners from the reading rota due to his stance on abortion.

A general election candidate, who was told by his parish priest that he could no longer read at Mass due to his stance on abortion, will meet his bishop and parish priest tomorrow.

The Bishop of Cloyne, Canon William Crean, will meet with Cork Social Democrats member Ken Curtin today after he was removed from Cobh’s rota of Church readers due to his stance on abortion.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has just announced a number of new junior ministers in the Dáil.

QUESTION: Health is closely followed by the economy in many minds as a priority issue. Can you set out the fundamental goals underpinning your economic policy in the years ahead?

It's the turn of health - where do the parties and candidates stand on this issue?

Question: Can you briefly set out what legislation you, in government, would put forward to address the ongoing housing crisis and in particular the issues of homelessness, rising rents and the inability to get started on the housing ladder.

Question: Welfare reform has been highlighted as a priority issue for them. Can you set out your own parties thinking on the need, if any, for reform of the welfare system and to what end?

Question: Can you set out the initiatives you aim to target in the course of next government around the areas of mental health and disability services. 

Question: Can you look forward 10 years and set out the sort of changes that you would have helped to bring about in wider society if given the mandate to do so by the electorate on Friday.