Martin: Aylward doing 'exceptionally well' as count continues in Carlow-Kilkenny

It is Fianna Fáil’s seat to lose in the Carlow-Kilkenny by-election.

The fourth count has now been declared, with seven of the 13 candidates fighting it out for EU Commissioner Phil Hogan’s seat now eliminated.

With four counts now declared in Cillin Hill, Fianna Fáil’s Bobby Aylward continues to dominate.

The quota for this vote is 33,418, and following the second count, Aylward is on 19,223 votes, or 28.7% of the vote.

Party leader Micheál Martin said: "I'm very pleased with the performance so far...It was a tough campaign with a lot of candidates in the race and I think Bobby did exceptionally well. We're very pleased at this stage, but obviously there's quite a number of counts to go yet."

Fine Gael’s David Fitzgerald continues to lag behind on 21%, while Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion is on 18%.

Labour’s Willie Quinn has only managed to secure 4,954 votes – or 6%.

Renua’s Patrick McKee is on 11%, while Green party candidate Malcolm Noonan is on 7.4%.

Independent candidates Daithi Holohan, Peter O’Loughlin, Noel G Walsh Breda Gardiner have been eliminated, as have Elizabeth Hourihane from the National Citizens Movement, Anti-Austerity Alliance candidate Conor MacLiam and People Before Profit’s Adrienne Wallace.

The counting of transfers is continuing in Kilkenny.