FG's Owen loses Dublin North seat to FF

Fine Gael’s Ms Nora Owen has surprisingly lost her seat in Dublin north as Fianna Fáil claimed a second seat in the constituency.

As expected, Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent topped the poll claiming 16.6 per cent of the vote.

He was elected on the sixth count and was followed by Mr Sean Ryan of the Labour Party on the seventh count who retains his seat.

But the major talking point was the claiming by Fianna Fáil’s Mr Jim Glennon of a second seat for the party on the eighth count, joining returning TD GV Wright who was elected on the eleventh count as Ms Owen was eliminated.

Prior to the election there had been speculation that Ms Owen could be vulnerable, but she had been expected to hold on in a constituency where the party once had two seats.

She was the party's deputy leader under Mr John Bruton and minister for justice in the rainbow government.

Mr Bruton described Ms Owen's defeat as "a tragedy for Fine Gael" and described Ms Owen as "one of the most warm hearted people in the party."