Dublin Bay South is, traditionally, a stronghold for Fine Gael.
Leo Varadkar has said he doesn't believe Fine Gael would have won the Dublin Bay South by-election with Kate O'Connell as its candidate.
James Geoghegan placed second in yesterday's Dáil election in an area traditionally strong for Fine Gael.
Leo Varadkar looking at the positives - he says James Geoghegan’s share of the vote was higher than the 2020 share of Eoghan Murphy and Kate O’Connell put together #dbs21 @VirginMediaNews pic.twitter.com/AjpGe0x22g
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) July 9, 2021
Some in the party believe former TD O'Connell would have taken enough votes from winner Ivana Bacik to retain the seat for the party.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar though, doesn't agree:
Leo Varadkar says he doesn’t believe the election result would have been any different if Kate O’Connell had been the Fine Gael candidate
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) July 9, 2021