Sinn Féin's David Cullinane claims largest ever first-preference vote in Waterford

Sinn Féin's David Cullinane has taken the first seat in Waterford, topping the poll with a whopping 20,569 first-preference votes - twice the quota - and recording the largest first-preference vote in Waterford's history.

Cullinane's own vote tally is actually higher than the combined result recorded by the candidates from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Asked what effect the election result surge will have on Irish-UK relations, he added that no one has as good a relationship with senior British civil servants and prime ministers as Sinn Féin.

Cullinane denied that a Border Poll would be a red line for a coalition. He also insisted that Sinn Féin won't "do a Labour".

"If a coalition happens, it will be a partnership of equals," he said, emphasising that Sinn Féin's focus will be on Health, Housing and a cut in the Universal Social Charge.

He said there will be no red lines, only negotiations, and those will be easier with smaller parties, but more difficult with larger parties like Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

"We don't know who we're negotiating with yet," he said. "But one thing's for sure - we're not going to prop up a Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael government as junior partners. It will be a partnership of equals if anything."

The first count saw Cullinane top the poll ahead of Mary Butler of Fianna Fáil (6,644 votes), Independent Matt Shanahan (4,990 votes), with Fine Gael duo of John Cummins and Damien Geoghegan facing an uphill, intra-party fight for the final seat.

There is a risk that Fine Gael will end this election without representation Waterford for the first time since the formation of the party.

The Green Party's Marc Ó Cathasaigh - around 300 votes behind Geoghegan - leading the chase, and hoping to pick up transfers from Cullinane's huge surplus.

Some of the Sinn Féin surplus is also expected to transfer to Una Dunphy of People Before Profit or Labour's John Pratt.