Collins in contention in Dublin SC

Labour's Eric Byrne topped the poll in Dublin South Central having lost on out a seat in 2007 by 69 votes.

Mr Byrne has 8.357 first prefence votes,  Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh, who won the last seat from Mr Byrne in 2007 is second with 13.49 per cent of the vote.

United Left Alliance candidate Joan Collins is also likely to be elected. She has nearly 13 per cent of the first preferences.

Labour is likely to bring in a second seat with local councillor Michael Conaghan on 11.21 per cent. The third Labour candidate, Henry Upton, a nephew of the retiring Labour TD Mary Upton is on 8.06 per cent.

The overwhelmingly working-class constituency, which has been dubbed the independent socialist republic of Dublin South Central, polled 61 per cent of votes for left-leaning candidates.

Incumbent Fine Gael TD Catherine Byrne, who has 11.24 per cent of the vote, will retain her seat, but Fianna Fáil's Michael Mulcahy is certain to lose his.