Turnout: Candidates in the Kildare North byelection said they were angry and disappointed at the poor turnout at the polls on Friday, which saw fewer than four in 10 eligible voters turning up to vote.
Out of a total valid electorate of just over 65,000, 25,524 or 39 per cent, voted, despite what candidates said was a high-profile campaign.
The victor, Independent candidate Catherine Murphy said a lower turnout can dampen an election victory in certain cases.
"I would have liked to see a higher turnout," she said. "I think it's always better when you win if there's a good turnout, and I hope there would be a lesson learned from this time."
Green candidate JJ Power said the turnout was "abysmally low".
"I'd like to thank the 40 per cent of voters who turned out," he said. "And I'd like to ask the 60 per cent who stayed at home what the thought they achieved by staying at home."
PD candidate Senator Kate Walsh said the low turnout made it more difficult to accept criticisms from voters about politics and politicians.
Fine Gael candidate Darren Scully said the low turnout was particularly disappointing, given the amount of effort every candidate put into the campaign.
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said the low turnout was a huge disappointment. "That's the most dispiriting aspect of the election for me - that almost two out of three people stayed at home."