A Guide to The Carlow-Kilkenny By-Election

With the exit of Phil Hogan to Brussels, Carlow-Kilkenny is the 7th by-election since the general election 2011. By-elections take place when a member of the Dail (TD) vacates their seat. In this instance the seat was left vacant by the promotion of the Environment Minister to an EU commissioner. There are 11 candidates in the running for the seat. 3 women and 8 men. Bobby Aylward, Fianna Fáil, David Fitzgeral, Fine Gael, Kathleen Funchion, Sinn Féin, Breda Gardner, Independent, Patrick McKee, Renua Ireland, Conor MacLiam, Anti-Austerity Alliance, Malcolm Noonan, Green Party, Willie Quinn, Labour Party and Adrienne Wallace, People Before Profit, Noel Walsh, Independent and Davy Holohan, Independent.

Fine Gael will hope to retain the seat and Labour will be hope to book the trend of polls which put them at just 6 to 9%. So far the government parties have won just 3 of the last 6 by-elections. The other 3 by-elections were won by the Socialist Party, the Anti-Austerity Alliance and an Independent Michael Fitzmaurice with the support of Luke Flanagan, MEP.