Meath East by-election - Labour facing oblivion?

Government reaction to the result of the Meath East by-election, which saw Fine Gael’s Helen McEntee take the seat and replace her father who died last December will, naturally enough, be mixed.

Fine Gael will rejoice because despite the seemingly endless difficulties brought about by our economic collapse they have retained the seat.

Labour will feel a shiver run down their spine as the result, if repeated on a bigger stage, would mean something approaching oblivion for the party. It may, as it did with many Fianna Fáil figures before the 2011 election, convince many senior Labour figures they had fought their last election. That Sinn Féin, even with a very poor 38% turnout, beat them easily may force that decision too.