Fine Gael on course for big by-election victory

Journalist-turned-politician George Lee is expected to scoop a massive victory for Fine Gael in the Dublin South by-election.

Early estimates from the party put the ex-RTÉ economics editor polling at over 50% – indicating he could be elected on the first count, clinching the seat vacated by the death of former Fianna Fáil government minister Seamus Brennan.

Since he declared for the by-election early last month Mr Lee has been the front runner for the vacant seat ahead of the late Mr Brennan’s son Shay and Labour’s Senator Alex White.

The result will be announced at the count centre in the RDS this afternoon.

The father of two has become increasingly high profile in recent years with his reporting of the demise of the economy.

A UCD graduate with an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics, Mr Lee won a Journalist of the Year award in 1998 for uncovering a major tax evasion and over-charging scandal in the National Irish Bank.

Before joining RTÉ, he previously worked as a senior economist at Riada Stockbrokers and as an economist with the Central Bank.

He recently presented a documentary on RTÉ about the economic downturn called ''How We Blew the Boom'.

Counting for the two Dáil by-elections in Dublin South and Dublin Central got under way at 9am at the same time as counting of votes for 1,627 councillors.

It’s a closer contest in Dublin Central with Fine Gael’s Pascal Donohoe, Labour’s Ivana Bacik and Independent Maureen O’Sullivan locked in a battle for the seat vacated by the death of Tony Gregory.