Counting is continuing in the Seanad elections, with a number of new senators elected this morning.
The count is underway at Dublin Castle, with access restrictions and social distancing measures in place due to the current coronavirus crisis.
Fianna Fáil's Eugene Murphy has joined Fine Gael's Paddy Burke, Tim Lombard and Michael D'Arcy on the Agricultural Panel.
Mr D'Arcy is the outgoing minister of state for financial services and insurance, and had lost his seat as a TD in last month's general election.
Mr Murphy is also a former TD, having lost his seat in Roscommon-Galway after serving one term in the Dáil.
Paddy Burke and Tim Lombard, meanwhile, are both existing senators who have now won re-election.
On the transfer of the first parcel of Byrne’s votes - the value credited to Lombard, Burke and Murphy is greater than the quota and they are Deemed To Be Elected. #seeforyourself #Seanad2020 pic.twitter.com/70WqCbSiXD
— Houses of the Oireachtas - Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) April 1, 2020
Victor Boyhan, Fianna Fáil's Denis O'Donovan, Niall Blaney and Paul Daly were all elected to the same Panel yesterday.
It's expected the first counts from the NUI and Trinity panels will be known in the coming hours.
If the Agricultural Panel count is finished ahead of schedule, the returning officer has announced that he will move ahead with counting for the Labour panel.
Yesterday's count saw also all five senators elected to the Cultural and Educational Panel: Sean Kyne (FG), Malcolm Byrne (FF), Lisa Chambers (FF), John McGahon (FG) and Fintan Warfield (Sinn Féin).
The final 11 members of the next Seanad will be nominated by the Taoiseach of the next government.
