Paul Hosford: The centre holds, and it seems the centre left will too

Positive results for Labour and the Social Democrats will not head off a discussion of a merger, but may be enough to delay it

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin speaking to reporters at the RDS count centre on Sunday. Labour's European election candidate in Dublin looks set to be in the running for a seat. Picture: Damien Storan/PA

As the centre holds, what of the centre-left?

While much of the focus of a good day for government parties was on the main opposition party’s fortunes, there were stories emerging for the other parties of the opposition benches across the country.