Fianna Fáil polls strongly in Cork constituencies

FIANNA FÁIL’S Billy Kelleher was the first deputy to be returned to the Dáil in the four-seat constituency of Cork North Central yesterday evening.

In neighbouring five-seat Cork South Central, FF minister Micheál Martin topped the poll with 11,226 votes, exceeding the 9,845 quota to return straight to the Dáil, while the party’s Michael McGrath also won a seat with a quota-beating vote of 9,866 first preference votes.

In Cork North Central, Kelleher polled 9,456 first preference votes in the first count, which came in just after 6.30pm. At the 2002 General Election, Mr Kelleher, a deputy chief whip in the last administration, got 5,801 first preference votes and was returned to the Dáil with the help of transfers.