General Election 2016: Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty is elected in Donegal

Two TDs have now been elected in the Donegal constituency.

The Sinn Fein TD is the second candidate to be elected to Dail Eireann in the constituency.

The outgoing TD received an overall vote of 14,600 votes on the eighth count, after a transfer vote of 3,410 from his party colleague Gary Doherty, who was eliminated on the seventh count. Counting only resumed at the count centre at 4pm after a re-check of the votes of Gary Doherty, Pearse Doherty and Dessie Shiels and a re-count of the votes of Gary Doherty and Dessie Shiels at the request of Sinn Fein. This took place from 10am on Sunday morning.

Pearse Doherty’s surplus 2,382 votes are now being distributed.

Pearse Doherty’s party colleague Padraig MacLochlainn is currently in a battle for the final seat in Donegal with Independent TD Thomas Pringle. MacLochlainn has 6,567 votes after the eighth count and Pringle has 7,617.

Fianna Fail’s Pat the Cope Gallagher is on 11, 267 votes, Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh is on 11,040 votes, followed by Thomas Pringle and Padraig MacLochlainn, Tim Jackson is on 4, 650 and Dessie Shiels on 4,497, both Independent candidates.

Pat the Cope Gallagher is expected to be elected next, followed by Joe McHugh. The final seat is still all to play for.