It's the first election day count since the start of the pandemic
Counting is about to get underway in the Dublin Bay South by-election.
Boxes opened in the last few moments to decide who'll replace former Minister Eoghan Murphy in the Dáil.
Our Political Correspondent Seán Defoe is at the RDS:
"It's the first election day count since the start of the pandemic - a very different one too.
Social distancing in force, a reduced number of tally-ers and the whole of the RDS being used for just one constituency count.
The mood around the hall is it'll look like a three horse race after the first count - with Fine Gael's James Geoghegan, Labour's Ivana Bacik and Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan all likely bunched close enough, somewhere in the 20s.
Then we'll bed in for a long day of eliminations and transfers to see who'll win the seat in Dublin Bay South"
About a quarter of boxes tallied in Dublin Bay South and here's how they're set.
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) July 9, 2021
Lots of strong SF boxes already done with Fine Gael's best areas still to come. pic.twitter.com/XKSRChZqau
The fully tally, as at 12.15pm, indicates a clear lead for Labour's Ivana Bacik
Labour's Ivana Bacik is set to win the Dublin Bay South by-election.
Tallies show Bacik is on course to top the poll finishing comfortably ahead of Fine Gael's James Geoghegan.
Our Political Correspondent Seán Defoe reports
:
Ivana Bacik's campaign manager Duncan Smith says there's a strong Labour background in the constituency:
Mary Lou McDonald conceding “it’s Ivana’s day” and congratulating the Labour candidate. Says it’s also very clear from these results “the Government is living on borrowed time” #dbsbyelection pic.twitter.com/fikRC0Ho5V
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) July 9, 2021
Speaking on Friday afternoon, the Sinn Féin leader has conceded the Dublin Bay South by-election to Labour.
Ivana Bacik is projected to top the poll and win a seat in the Dáil.
Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan polled third - failing to increase the party's vote from the 2020 election.
Party leader Mary Lou McDonald conceded Labour will win the seat
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