2007 General Election Coverage
Our debates will take place every day from Thursday May 10th until Thursday May 17th, at 1:15pm directly after the main Lunch time news. We will also have a two-minute address from two candidates every day after the 5:30 Main Evening News.
Update: May 25, 9:18 am
The counting of votes cast in the two Donegal constituencies is getting underway at the count centres. Votes cast in Donegal North East are being counted at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny, votes cast in Donegal South West are being counted at the St John Bosco Centre in Donegal Town.
Update: May 25, 8:57 am
Highland News will be bringing live updates here throughout the day.
Update: May 25, 9:38 am
Counting of votes is now underway at both Donegal constituencies
Update: May 25, 12:33 pm
Donegal South West - All Donegal Electoral Area boxes have been tallied, with Mary Coughlan (FF) in the ascendency there.
Fine Gael vote down slightly on 2002, but Sinn Fein\'s pearse Doherty not making the inroads he would have hoped.
Initial boxes from the Glenties Electoral Area suggest Pat The Cope Gallagher (FF) performing solidly, and Dinny Mc Ginley and Pearse Doherty running neck and neck.
Donegal North East - Potential trouble for FF. Cecilia Keavney\'s vote down in her Inishowen heartland, with all votes now tallied there. Huge increase in Padraig Mac Lochlainn\'s Sinn Fein vote, suggesting that when Letterkenny and Milford tallies are complete, he could be well ahead of Keavney.
Joe Mc Hugh holding FG vote in Inishowen, and Jimmy Harte (Ind) not making serious inroads in Letterkenny where the FG vote is holding well.
Niall Blaney not yet making serious inroads, but his own heartland in the Milford Electoral Area is yet to be tallied.
Figures to follow.
Update: May 25, 3:11 pm
Final tally from Donegal South West suggests status quo will be maintained
Donegal North East poll will be topped by Fine Gael\'s Joe Mc Hugh, with Dr James Mc Daid, Niall Blaney and Cecilia Keavney , all FF all contesting the last two seats along with SF\'s Padraig Mac Lochlainn, who has been polling very well.
Update: May 26, 12:52 pm
Counting concludes in both constituencies
The counting of votes is over in the two Donegal Constituencies.
In Donegal South West, the three outgoing deputies were returned, with Mary Coughlan topping the poll.
In Donegal North East, it was the early hours of this morning before anyone was elected, and it was 4 o\'clock this morning before final confirmation came that Joe Mc Hugh of Fine Gael would be joined by outgoing deputies Dr James Mc Daid and Niall Blaney.
In the end, no-one predicted the final outcome in Donegal North East.
From Joe Mc Hugh topping the poll to Niall Blaney taking the last seat at the expense of Cecilia Keaveney, the twists and turns kept the pundits guessing to the end.
In the end, no-one predicted the final outcome in Donegal North East.
From Joe Mc Hugh topping the poll to Niall Blaney taking the last seat at the expense of Cecilia Keavney, the twists and turns kept the pundits guessing to the end.
It was clear from the off that Joe Mc Hugh would top the poll, and after a marathon count, he was finally deemed elected just before 1 o\'clock, exceeding the quota and topping 10,000 votes.
Speaking just moments after his election, he reflected on the controversial decision to pirsue a songle candidate strategy.
A bold move was needed to regain the seat lost in 1997, he said, and it worked.
Emotions of a different nature from Deputy Cecilia Keavney, who lost her seat after seeing her support drop in her hom base of Inishowen.
Just before 1 o\'clock this morning the loss of the seat was confirmed, but it had been clear from early on in the day that the seat was in jeopardy.
She was in philosophical mood when she discussed the future.
For Sinn Fein in both constituencies, it was a case of so near and yet so far.
In Donegal North East, Padraig Mac Lochlainn came within a few hundred votes of taking a seat, and appeared in pole position for much of the day, but just fell short of 9,000 votes.
In Donegal South West, Pearse Doherty ended up with over 9,200 votes, wryly commenting that many people would be elected with far less around the country.
He is philosophical about the future, echoing Padraig Mac Lochlainn\'s commitment that they\'ll be back.
So, if Donegal South West proved to be predictable with the retention of the status quo and the return to Dail Eireann of Mary Coughlan, Pat the Cope Gallahgher and Dinny Mc Ginley, Donegal North East has provided another intriguing result, two Fianna Fail and one Fine Gael, but in a combination that no-one was predicting before the electorate had it\'s say on Thursday.
Election Debates
Pat the Cope Gallagher (FF)
Seamus Rodgers (Lab)
Dinny McGinley (FG)
Click to listen:
Friday 11th May @ 1:15 - 2:00pm
Mary Coughlan (FF)
Se‡n O'Maolchallann (Green)
Pearse Doherty (SF)
Click to listen:
Monday 14th May @ 1:15 - 2:00pm
Cecilia Keaveney (FF)
Padraig Mac Lochlainn (SF)
Frank Gallagher (Green)
Click to listen:
Tuesday 15th May @ 1:15 - 2:00pm
Jimmy Harte (Ind)
Siobhan McLaughlin (Lab)
Niall Blaney (FF)
Click to listen:
Wednesday 16th May @ 1:15 - 2:00pm
James McDaid (FF)
Joe McHugh (FG)
Ian McGarvey (Ind)
Click to listen:
Thursday 17th May @ 1:15 - 2:00
Panel of experts to discuss the election
Christian Solidayry Party Candidate, Mary Doherty, Discusses her campaign with Gareth Wilkinson
Click to listen:
Soapbox Addresses
Wednesday 9th May Seamus Rogers and Seán O'Maollchallan
Click to listen:
Thursday 10th May Pat the Cope and Pearse Doherty
Click to listen:
Friday 11th May Mary Coughlan and Dinny McGinley
Click to listen:
Monday 14th May Jimmy Harte and Niall Blaney
Click to listen:
Tuesday 15th May Ian McGarvey and John Doherty
Click to listen:
Wednesday 16th Padraig McLochlainn and Cecilia Keaveney
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Thursday 17th Frank Gallagher and Siobhan McLaughlin
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Friday 18th James McDaid and Joe McHugh
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Monday 21st Mary Doherty
Click to listen:
Arthurs McGuiness (Ind)
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