A Dáil by-election was held in the constituency of Carlow–Kilkenny in Ireland on Friday, 22 May 2015, to fill a vacancy in the 31st Dáil. It followed the resignation of Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) Phil Hogan on his appointment as European Commissioner. It was held on the same day as national referendums on marriage equality and the age of eligibility for election to the office of president.
The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2011 stipulates that a by-election in Ireland must be held within six months of a vacancy occurring. The Writ of election was moved in the Dáil on 29 April 2015.
At the 2011 general election, the constituency elected three Fine Gael TDs, one Labour Party TD and one Fianna Fáil TD. In the May 2014 local elections, Carlow County Council elected six Fine Gael, five Fianna Fáil, three Sinn Féin, two Labour and two independent councillors, while Kilkenny County Council elected ten Fianna Fáil, seven Fine Gael, three Sinn Féin, two Labour, one Green Party and one independent councillor. Patrick McKee, who stood for Renua, had been elected to Kilkenny County Council for Fianna Fáil.
Former TD Bobby Aylward of Fianna Fáil won the by-election on the ninth count, having received 27.8% of the first-preference votes. Aylward had previously represented Carlow–Kilkenny from 2007 until 2011. The result marked the first by-election win for Fianna Fáil since 1996, and the first time they had gained a seat from Fine Gael in a by-election since the Donegal–Leitrim contest in 1970.
Result
References