Outgoing Tanaiste Mary Coughlan has lost her seat in Donegal South West. She was eliminated after the fourth count, after her Fianna Fail running mate Senator Brian O’Domhnaill got more transfers from Labour Cllr Frank  Mc Brearty and Independent Stephen Mc Cahill.

Fine Gael’s Dinny Mc Ginley is within 266 of the quota, but the significant figure now is the fact that Independent Cllr Thomas Pringle is 3,415 votes ahead of O’Domhnaill, a lead which it appears is unassailable.