Ming tops Midlands NW poll on first count

Independent Luke Ming Flanagan has topped the poll, as expected, in the Midlands North-West constituency in the European elections.

He is just 5,000 votes shy of the quota and is likely to take the first seat in the second count.

Flanagan received 124,063 votes, but did not quite reach the quota of 129,290.

Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy is in second place with 114,727. Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness got just more than 92,000 and is widely expected to retain her seat.