Meath East
Co. MeathMeath East covers the eastern part of County Meath, a fast-growing Dublin commuter belt including Ashbourne, Dunboyne, Kells and Ratoath, and gained a fourth seat in 2024. Government minister Helen McEntee (Fine Gael) topped the poll, and independent Gillian Toole was elected on the final count without reaching the quota, becoming Meath's first independent TD.
Why this leans Fine Gael
The 3.5-point gap between the top two finishers here in 2024 sits on top of a longer pattern: Fine Gael's national first-preference vote share has run 27.3% in 2007, 36.1% in 2011, 25.5% in 2016, 20.9% in 2020, then 20.8% in 2024 No digitised constituency-level results exist here for elections before 2024, so this is Fine Gael's country-wide trend, not a claim about this seat's own history — but a party that's dominated the national picture for this long is a big part of why its 2024 local result, and this lean, look the way they do.
Elected TDs (4)
19.9% first preference · 9,957 votes · elected below quota, via transfers
16.4% first preference · 8,175 votes · elected below quota, via transfers
12.8% first preference · 6,403 votes · elected below quota, via transfers
8.9% first preference · 4,459 votes · elected below quota, via transfers
2024 General Election — First Preferences
First-preference vote share by candidate. Helen McEntee (Fine Gael) topped the poll with 19.9%. Bold candidates were elected — final seats are decided by PR-STV transfers, not first preferences alone.
Under PR-STV, surplus and elimination transfers decide the final seats, so a candidate can be elected from well below the quota — or miss out despite a strong first count. .