Fianna Fáil eyes a seat in every area in 2016

Fianna Fáil is confident of winning a seat in each of the 43 constituencies in the next general election after becoming the biggest party in local government and steadily recovering from its collapse in 2011.

While increasing its representation across Dublin, it was strongly outpolled in the city centre by Sinn Féin, which took twice the number of seats on offer. Fianna Fáil was on course to be the biggest party in Fingal but will still be outnumbered by independents.

Party leader Micheál Martin appears to have prevented any immediate threats to his leadership with the weekend result, following a period in which its recovery was — in the words of deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív — “becalmed”.