Aontú has won its first seat in the Seanad with the election of its candidate Sarah O’Reilly to the Upper House on the agricultural panel.
The Cavan-Monaghan Dáil general election candidate’s victory in the Seanad follows a successful voting pact among Independent councillors.
But a dramatic finish to the 23rd and final count of votes for the Agricultural panel saw Fine Gael Senator Maria Byrne hold her seat by just one tenth of a vote, as she won out over Labour candidate and Kildare Cllr Angela Feeney in the complicated counting system.
After Labour called for a re-count of the 23rd count, the revised tally did not change the result and Cllr Feeney was excluded. A Labour source…