General Election newcomer Mary Butler opens Fianna Fáil recovery

Fianna Fáil reclaimed its seat in the Dáil for the Waterford constituency on Saturday, with first-time candidate Mary Butler emphatically passing the quota on the first count.

The coalition lost two TDs over the course of the day, with Labour’s Ciara Conway limping out and junior minister Paudie Coffey losing out to fellow Fine Gaeler John Deasy Butler.

Ms Butler, a mother of three who works part-time in a city centre jewellery store, was only elected onto Waterford City and County Council in 2014 but, despite her status as a newcomer, she claimed 20.5% of the first preference votes. In 2011, Waterford failed to return a single Fianna Fáil candidate for the first time since 1927.