FF bring in two to FG’s one

ONE of the barometer constituencies did exactly as one would have expected in light of the national outcome, returning two Fianna Fáil candidates and one for Fine Gael, just as it did five years ago.

The only difference was a change of personnel on both sides and an increase in the Fianna Fáil vote, with three sitting TDs competing for all three seats.

Despite a combined first preference vote of 53%, up 3% from 2002, the arrival of the party’s Minister of State Batt O’Keeffe’s into Cork North West effectively cost veteran TD Donal Moynihan his seat.