2011 Dublin West by-election explained

Election Name:2011 Dublin West by-election
Country:Ireland
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Year:2011 general election
Election Date:27 October 2011
Next Year:2016 general election
Turnout:36,391 (58.3%)
2Blank:Percentage
3Blank:Final count
Party1:Labour Party (Ireland)
1Data1:8,665
2Data1:24.3
3Data1:17,636
Party2:Fianna Fáil
1Data2:7,742
2Data2:21.7
3Data2:11,590
Party3:Socialist Party (Ireland)
1Data3:7,542
2Data3:21.1
3Data3:–
Party4:Fine Gael
1Data4:5,263
2Data4:14.7
3Data4:–
Nominee5:Paul Donnelly
Party5:Sinn Féin
1Data5:3,173
2Data5:8.9
3Data5:–
Party6:Green Party (Ireland)
1Data6:1,787
2Data6:5.0
3Data6:–
Nominee7:Barry Caesar Hunt
Party7:Independent politician
1Data7:775
2Data7:2.2
3Data7:–
Nominee8:John Frank Kidd
Party8:Independent politician
1Data8:311
2Data8:0.9
3Data8:–
Nominee9:Gary Bermingham
Party9:Independent politician
1Data9:185
2Data9:0.5
3Data9:–
Map Size:150px
TD
Before Election:Brian Lenihan Jnr
Before Party:Fianna Fáil
After Election:Patrick Nulty
After Party:Labour Party (Ireland)

A by-election was held in the Dáil Éireann Dublin West constituency in Ireland on Thursday 27 October 2011,[1] following the death of Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) and former Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan Jnr on 10 June 2011.[2] The 2011 Irish presidential election and two constitutional referendums were held on the same day.

Patrick Nulty of the Labour Party was elected after a prolonged count.

Candidates

Thirteen candidates contested the by-election.[3] [4] Four were members of Fingal County Council: David McGuinness of Fianna Fáil,[5] Eithne Loftus of Fine Gael, Patrick Nulty of the Labour Party, and Ruth Coppinger of the Socialist Party.[6] The other party candidates were Paul Donnelly of Sinn Féin,[7] Roderic O'Gorman of the Green Party[8] and Peadar Ó Ceallaigh of Fís Nua.

There were six independent candidates: Gary Bermingham, a satirical actor and artist; Benny Cooney, a FÁS employee; Brendan Doris, an architect; Barry Caesar Hunt, a contestant in The Apprentice reality television show in 2010; John Frank Kidd, a retired fire officer; and Jim Tallon, a farmer.[9]

Donnelly, McGuinness, Nulty and O'Gorman had all been unsuccessful candidates in this constituency at the general election in February 2011.[10] Bermingham, Cooney, Ó Ceallaigh and Tallon had been candidates in other constituencies at the same election.

Result

A full recount was ordered after only 18 votes separated Socialist Party candidate Ruth Coppinger from Fianna Fáil candidate David McGuinness.[11] After the recount, both McGuinness and Coppinger had the same number of votes in the fourth count. Under electoral law Coppinger was eliminated, for McGuinness had more first-preference votes.[12] [13]

It was the first time since July 1982 – when Noel Treacy won a seat in Galway East – that a candidate of a governing party won a by-election.[14] The result left Fianna Fáil with no TDs in Dublin city and County.[15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Dublin West by-election set for 27 October . 7 September 2011 . . 12 September 2011 . 29 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111029035721/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0907/dublinwest.html . live .
  2. News: Brian Lenihan dead from pancreatic cancer at 52 . 10 June 2011 . . 12 September 2011 . 3 September 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110903121340/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/brian-lenihan-dead-from-pancreatic-cancer-at-52-2671843.html . live .
  3. News: Nominations close for Dublin West by-election . 12 October 2011 . RTÉ News . 13 October 2011 . 13 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111013033402/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1012/dublinwest.html . live .
  4. Web site: 13 names in the running for Dublin West by-election . Reilly . Gavan . 12 October 2011 . thejournal.ie . 13 October 2011 . 15 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111015123856/http://www.thejournal.ie/13-names-in-the-running-for-dublin-west-by-election-252512-Oct2011/ . live .
  5. News: Running mate of Lenihan to contest Dublin West for FF . Duncan . Pamela . 14 September 2011 . . 16 September 2011 . 14 September 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110914132819/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0914/1224304082786.html . live .
  6. News: Socialist by-election candidate holds on to her teaching post . Kelly . Fiach . 12 September 2011 . Irish Independent . 16 September 2011 . 3 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103070841/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/socialist-byelection-candidate-holds-on-to-her-teaching-post-2873594.html . live .
  7. News: First candidates named in Dublin West by-election . 9 September 2011 . The Journal . 16 September 2011 . 24 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120924200414/http://www.thejournal.ie/first-candidates-named-in-dublin-west-by-election-221354-Sep2011/ . live .
  8. News: Councillor warns against FG byelection 'carpetbagger' . Mary Minihan . Cian Nihill . amp . 9 September 2011 . The Irish Times . 16 September 2011 . 24 October 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121024165415/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0909/1224303758859.html . live .
  9. News: Candidates to step up canvassing. The Irish Times. 4 October 2011. 4 October 2011. 4 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111004190246/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1004/1224305205130.html. live.
  10. Web site: 31st Dáil - Dublin West . Elections Ireland . 16 September 2011 . 16 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111016151358/http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2011&cons=112 . live .
  11. News: Full recount ordered in Dublin West by-election . TheJournal.ie . 28 October 2011 . 28 October 2011 . 29 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111029125628/http://www.thejournal.ie/all-seven-independents-knocked-out-of-dublin-west-by-election-266308-Oct2011/ . live .
  12. Web site: Electoral Act, 1992, sec. 122 (3) . . 30 October 2011 . 14 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111114110248/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1992/en/act/pub/0023/sec0122.html . live .
  13. News: Labour's Pat Nulty elected in Dublin West . 29 October 2011 . Irish Independent . 29 October 2011 . 30 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111030023034/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/labours-pat-nulty-elected-in-dublin-west-2920873.html . live .
  14. News: Labour wins Dublin byelection . The Irish Times . 29 October 2011 . Marie . O'Halloran . 29 October 2011 . 30 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111030123248/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1029/breaking4.html . live .
  15. News: Nulty elected in Dublin West . 29 October 2011 . Irish Examiner . 29 October 2011 . 1 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111101192945/http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/nulty-elected-in-dublin-west-526334.html . live .

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