Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy has resigned himself to another Fianna Fáil / Fine Gael coalition government in the 34th Dáil. He was speaking to Joe Finnegan from the Cavan Leisure Centre late last night as he awaitied the results of vote counts.
Exit polls suggested Sinn Féin could've done better than Fine Gael nationally. However. hopes of three Sinn Féin candidates getting elected in Cavan-Monaghan faded after Fine Gael's David Maxwell was the first past the post changing the outcome for who will take the four remaining seats there.
It now looks likely to be Carthy and Bennett for Sinn Féin and Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth for Fianna Fáil. Matt Carthy called it last night and said he accepts Sinn Féin will continue to be the largest opposition party:
