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| Irish presidential election: Michael D Higgins set to win | Irish presidential election: Michael D Higgins set to win |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Labour Party candidate Michael D Higgins is set to become the ninth Irish president. | Labour Party candidate Michael D Higgins is set to become the ninth Irish president. |
| Mr Higgins received 701,101 first-preference votes - almost 40% of the total. | |
| Independent candidate and one-time favourite Sean Gallagher earlier admitted defeat to Mr Higgins. | Independent candidate and one-time favourite Sean Gallagher earlier admitted defeat to Mr Higgins. |
| Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness is set to come third, while independents Dana Rosemary Scallon and Mary Davis were eliminated on the first count. | |
| A final declaration is due later tonight. | |
| Turnout was 56.1%, down from around 70% in the general election in February. | |
| Sean Gallagher received 504,964 first-preference votes, while Martin McGuinness received 243,030 votes. | |
| Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell and the independent David Norris are battling for fourth place with 113,321 votes and 109,469 votes respectively. | |
| Dana Rosemary Scallon received 51,220 votes and Mary Davis 48,657 votes. | |
| The quota Mr Higgins has to reach is 885,882 votes. | |
| The 70-year-old lecturer and poet was an Irish MP for almost 25 years until he retired from the Dail earlier this year. | The 70-year-old lecturer and poet was an Irish MP for almost 25 years until he retired from the Dail earlier this year. |
| He was Ireland's minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht during the 1990s. | He was Ireland's minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht during the 1990s. |
| The president, who serves as a ceremonial head of state, is elected for a seven-year term and can be re-elected only once. | |
| 'Full support' | 'Full support' |
| Mr Gallagher, a former member and fund-raiser for the Fianna Fail party, called the veteran politician to congratulate him on his success. | Mr Gallagher, a former member and fund-raiser for the Fianna Fail party, called the veteran politician to congratulate him on his success. |
| In a statement Mr Gallagher said: "He will have my full support as president and I sincerely thank him for a positive campaign. | In a statement Mr Gallagher said: "He will have my full support as president and I sincerely thank him for a positive campaign. |
| "His slogan stated that he would be a president to be proud of and I believe he will be that president." | "His slogan stated that he would be a president to be proud of and I believe he will be that president." |
| In the end the Irish people decided they had had enough of living dangerously. | In the end the Irish people decided they had had enough of living dangerously. |
| After three years of political and financial turmoil, they chose the archetypal safe pair of hands - modest Michael D Higgins - to be their president. | After three years of political and financial turmoil, they chose the archetypal safe pair of hands - modest Michael D Higgins - to be their president. |
| They were not ready for ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness, and not convinced by former Dragon's Den star Sean Gallagher. | They were not ready for ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness, and not convinced by former Dragon's Den star Sean Gallagher. |
| They were deemed too risky. In Higgins, they trusted. | They were deemed too risky. In Higgins, they trusted. |
| As one voter put it: "Michael is a statesman. His idea of danger is having an After Eight at 7.45." | As one voter put it: "Michael is a statesman. His idea of danger is having an After Eight at 7.45." |
| Mr McGuinness also phoned Mr Higgins to offer his congratulations. | |
| "He will make a fine president and I wish him well for his seven years in the aras," he said. | "He will make a fine president and I wish him well for his seven years in the aras," he said. |
| "I am delighted with the strong vote I have received. My message of positive leadership, patriotism and commitment clearly was resonating with tens of thousands of ordinary Irish people." | "I am delighted with the strong vote I have received. My message of positive leadership, patriotism and commitment clearly was resonating with tens of thousands of ordinary Irish people." |
| Candidates | Candidates |
| Other candidates in the election have also congratulated Mr Higgins. | Other candidates in the election have also congratulated Mr Higgins. |
| Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell said he would make "an excellent president," while Dana Rosemary Scallon wished him a "happy and successful" time in office. | Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell said he would make "an excellent president," while Dana Rosemary Scallon wished him a "happy and successful" time in office. |
| Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister), Eamon Gilmore, congratulated his party colleague on his victory. | Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister), Eamon Gilmore, congratulated his party colleague on his victory. |
| Mr Gilmore admitted it had looked like Mr Gallagher was poised for victory, until a href="/news/uk-northern-ireland-15442036" title="Sean Gallagher probed over cheque" >televised debate on RTE earlier this week. | |
| He was forced to deny claims by Martin McGuinness that he had raised money for the Fianna Fail party when it was in government in 2008. | He was forced to deny claims by Martin McGuinness that he had raised money for the Fianna Fail party when it was in government in 2008. |
| "That certainly made a big impact, but I think it was Sean Gallagher's response to the questions he was asked," added Mr Gilmore. | "That certainly made a big impact, but I think it was Sean Gallagher's response to the questions he was asked," added Mr Gilmore. |
| "I think there was a cumulative effect, which saw Sean Gallagher's vote dropping and going to Michael D Higgins." | "I think there was a cumulative effect, which saw Sean Gallagher's vote dropping and going to Michael D Higgins." |
| The Irish opposition leader Micheal Martin of Fianna Fail also sent his congratulations to Mr Higgins. | The Irish opposition leader Micheal Martin of Fianna Fail also sent his congratulations to Mr Higgins. |
| "I have known Michael D Higgins for many years and he will make an excellent president and ambassador for Ireland," he said. | "I have known Michael D Higgins for many years and he will make an excellent president and ambassador for Ireland," he said. |
| Fianna Fail chose not to enter a candidate following the party's heavy defeat in the general election. | Fianna Fail chose not to enter a candidate following the party's heavy defeat in the general election. |