Waterford deputy Paudie Coffey (46) saw his profile rise considerably in the latter half of the government’s term after he was appointed a Minister for State with responsibility for housing - which is set to be a key election issue in 2016. His political career began in 1999 when he was elected to Waterford County Council for Fine Gael. A stint in the Seanad followed before he was elected to the Dáil in 2011 after trying unsuccessfully in 2007. He played hurling at minor and under 21 for Waterford and he holds a diploma in Facilities Management.
| Electorate | Seats | Total Poll | Turnout | Valid Poll | Spoiled Votes | Quota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81,819 | 4 | 52,103 | 63.68% | 51,703 | 400 | 10,341 |
Vote Distribution
Left Right
Count Results
| Candidate | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
10603 | ||||||||
|
|
9739 | 9783 | 9826 | 9890 | 9967 | 10497 | |||
|
|
8306 | 8368 | 8438 | 8513 | 8674 | 9271 | 9345 | 11148 | |
|
|
7641 | 7687 | 7697 | 7806 | 7996 | 8067 | 8072 | 9443 | 9671 |
|
|
7209 | 7245 | 7281 | 7412 | 7600 | 7635 | 7637 | 8946 | 9104 |
|
|
2268 | 2286 | 2302 | 2309 | 2367 | 2445 | 2449 | ||
|
|
2237 | 2254 | 2285 | 2379 | 2567 | 2968 | 2993 | ||
|
|
1646 | 1656 | 1719 | 1767 | 1857 | ||||
|
|
862 | 880 | 902 | 1087 | |||||
|
|
858 | 865 | 895 | ||||||
|
|
194 | 195 | |||||||
|
|
140 | 143 |
On the Ballot
John Deasy (48) is the son of former Agriculture Minister Austin Deasy and he took the seat his father vacated following his retirement in the 2002 election. The Fine Gael deputy was educated in Dungarvan and then earned a scholarship to the US where he worked as a legislative assistant. On his return to Ireland he became a councillor and then onto Leinster House. He topped the poll last time out in Waterford. He is married to RTÉ presenter Maura Derrane and they have one son.
When Labour's Ciara Conway (35) was elected in Waterford in the 2011 general election, she became the first female to do so in more than half a century. She is also one of the youngest Dáil deputies and is a member of the Finance committee and is the vice chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. She has worked as a social worker and with children’s charity Barnardos and was previously on Dungarvan town Council where she lives now with her husband Gary and daughter Aeva-May.
It was third time lucky for Independent candidate John Halligan who won election in 2011, taking the final seat in Waterford on the 11th count, after he failed to take a seat in 2002 and 2007. He previously represented the Workers’ Party but left before his election to the Dáil. He joined the technical group to avail of additional speaking rights and was particularly outspoken on the issue of assisted suicide, proposing a bill in the Dail, and supported right-to-die campaigner Marie Curran. He has joined the Independent Alliance for Election 2016.
Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Workers' Rights and Political Reform, David Cullinane is currently a member of Seanad Éireann. First elected to political office in 2004 for Waterford City Council, he was elevated to the Oireachtas’ Upper House in 2011 by a Labour Panel. In the past he has campaigned against water charges, supported a University for the south-east, and has sought to highlight cuts at University Hospital Waterford. He lists housing as his number one priority. Senator Cullinane has unsuccessfully contested three general elections. His wife, Kathleen Funchion, is a Sinn Féin candidate in the Carlow/Kilkenny.
Elected first as to Waterford County Council in 2014, Mary Butler polled at 7.1 pc of first preference votes in the Comeragh ward. An active voice in the community, she has worked as secretary for Portlaw Tidy Towns and sits on the council’s Transport Special Policy Committee. Cllr Butler is a keen supporter for seeing local economies developed and says she understands the challenges faced by small businesses, having run her family grocery business for the past 18 years.
Renua Ireland candidate for Waterford is Mailo Power (55), owner and founder of Athenaeum House Hotel. A believer in business working alongside the community and local government, Ms Power is a founding member of the Winterval Christmas Festival and a previous chair of the Inaugural OCS Irish Paralympic Awards. She is keen to tackle unemployment in Waterford and wants to see investment in local economies a priority for the next Government. Alongside jobs, she wants to see a 24/7 cardiac care unit established in the south-east.
An active trade unionist and current president of the Waterford Council of Trade Unions, Una Dunphy (48) is standing in Waterford for the People Before Profit Alliance. Based in Ballybeg, the teacher of early school leavers has been a prominent member in the Right2Water campaign. Alongside putting an end to austerity measures, including Irish Water, Ms Dunphy is a keen advocate for repealing the 8th Amendment and for a 24/7 cardiac care for the south-east.
High-profile environmentalist Grace O'Sullivan is standing for the Green Party in Waterford this general election. One of the early devotees of surfing in Ireland, Ms O'Sullivan went on to become Ireland’s first National Female Surf champion in 1981 Following a 20-year career with Greenpeace, she ran unsuccessfully in the South constituency as a Green MEP candidate in the 2014 European elections. Polling at 6.2 pc, Ms O'Sullivan was eliminated midway through the count.
A first-time general election candidate Sheikh M. Ahmed is an Immigration lawyer and originally from Bangladesh. He is the current President of the Irish National Minority Council, and in 2014 garnered some 130 votes during the local elections
A prominent pro-life activist in Waterford City, John D Walsh is running for the Christian Democrats. He got 141 votes in the 2014 local elections as an Independent.
First-time candidate Edward Quilty lists social housing as his top priority. With a background in youth work, he has worked in the HSE with Waterford Community Care. He supports his party's plans to push for 'Direct Democracy' if elected.