Betting 'brisk' as €30,000 wagered on election in five hours

Bookmakers Paddy Power reported that as much as €30,000 was wagered on the electoral chances of a select basket of Dáil candidates, in the five hours from opening yesterday.

The Paddy Power Dáil Derby is offering punters odds of 5-1 if they can identify six candidates who will be elected to the next Dáil from the basket of 20 contestants.

Many of the candidates are household names, including Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin, Labour's Pat Rabbitte, Fine Gael's Nora Owen and Tom Parlon of the Progressive Democrats.

The odds are even better, offering 10-1 for those who correctly pick seven successful candidates out of the 20 named.

For identifying nine successful candidates, the odds are 22-1.

Those who correctly identify 10 candidates will be rewarded by a payout of 40-1.

In addition to those mentioned above, the list includes other high-profile politicians, such as Jim Mitchell, Alan Shatter, Frances Fitzgerald and Austin Currie of Fine Gael.

Derek McDowell, Eithne Fitzgerald, Joe Costello, Niamh Bhreathnach, Michael Bell and Nicky Kelly of Labour are also named.

However, perhaps tellingly, the Paddy Power Dáil Derby lists just three Fianna Fáil candidates. They are Dan Kiely and Donnie Cassidy, in addition to outgoing deputy Micheál Martin.

Included in the basket are two Sinn Féin candidates, Dessie Ellis and Nicky Kehoe, and one Green candidate, Dan Boyle.

A small swing away from Labour could spoil the ambitions of Niamh Bhreathnach and Eithne Fitzgerald, both hoping to regain their seats in Dún Laoghaire and Dublin South, respectively.

It would also harm Joe Costello in Dublin Central and Nicky Kelly in Wicklow, who are looking to enter the Dáil for the first time.

A drop in Fine Gael support could see Nora Owen and Austin Currie in trouble in their respective constituencies of Dublin North and Dublin Mid West.

The list also includes some well-established politicians who, through constituency boundary changes or other factors, may have a more difficult struggle this time out than last.

Politicians in this category include Pat Rabbitte of Labour, who is facing a strong challenge in Dublin South West from Charlie O'Connor of Fianna Fáil, and Fine Gael's Jim Mitchell, who has lost his electorate south of the Liffey in the Dublin Central boundary revision.

According to Mr Stuart Kenny of Paddy Power, betting on the electoral prospects of those on the list was "brisk" from early yesterday.

Most of the money was going on Micheál Martin, Pat Rabbitte, Nora Owen and Derek McDowell to retain their seats, "with betting on the other candidates all over the place", Mr Kenny said.

Paddy Power is also offering 1-100 on, in favour of Bertie Ahern being the next Taoiseach.

The odds on the other leaders being elected Taoiseach in the next Dáil are as follows: Michael Noonan 33-1; Ruairí Quinn 500-1; Mary Harney 1000-1; Trevor Sargent 1000-1 and Gerry Adams 1000-1.