FF candidate leading race for by-election seat

The first tallies from the Carlow-Kilkenny by-election are starting to roll in.

Fianna Fáil’s Bobby Aylward appears to be pulling ahead slightly in the race for the vacant seat.

Thirteen candidates are fighting it out here in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency for the seat left vacant by EU Commissioner Phil Hogan.

The latest tallies from the Carlow area – marking 12% of the overall constituency show Fianna Fáil’s Bobby Aylward doing well on 22%.

Fine Gael’s David Fitzgerald is on 18%, while Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion is the one to watch on 16%.

Labour’s Willie Quin - a Carlow candidate - is also doing well on 21%.

New party Renua’s Paddy McKee is fairing well on 8%, People Before Profit’s Adrienne Wallace is on 5%, while the Green Party’s Malcolm Noonan is on 2%.

A result is not expected in Cillin Hill, Kilkenny, until late this evening.