Dublin West

Fine Gael gained a seat in Dublin West at the expense of outgoing TD Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party.

Cllr Leo Varadkar, a local doctor and first-time Fine Gael candidate, came second in the poll behind Fianna Fáil's Brian Lenihan. The Labour Party's Joan Burton took the third seat.

Varadkar secured 6,928 first preferences and exceeded the quota of 8,496 after the fifth and final count. Fine Gael's share of the vote increased by 8 per cent.

Lenihan topped the poll with 11,125 votes - a 32.7 per cent share of the vote. This marked an increase on his 2002 poll. His surplus of 2,269 votes was distributed in the second count, which saw the PD candidate Mags Murray eliminated.

The Green Party's candidate, Roderic O'Gorman, was eliminated after the third count, while Sinn Féin's Felix Gallagher and Lenihan's running mate Gerry Lynam were both eliminated after the fourth count. Some 1,613 transfers from Lenihan's surplus were not enough to put Lynam into contention.

At an early stage, it seemed as if there might be a tussle for the third seat in what was a four-horse race. Varadkar, who in 2004 recorded the highest local election vote in the State, had been seen as a threat to either Higgins or Burton.

But the Labour Party candidate secured 5,799 first preferences ahead of 5,066 first preferences for Higgins and increased her lead in the subsequent counts. She received a greater share of the transfers from Lenihan's surplus and from all but one of the eliminated candidates.

A high number of transfers from Sinn Féin was not enough to help Higgins keep his seat and Burton was elected in third position with a total of 7,905 votes, without reaching the quota.

Overall change: Socialist Party loss, FG gain

Outgoing TDs

Brian Lenihan FF

Joan Burton Lab

Joe Higgins SP