.Jackie Fox gives an update from the count centre in #Laois as the final tallies are in #Election2024

Willie Aird (FG) has arrived at the count centre in Portlaoise ahead of the declaration of the first count.

Fine Gael's Willie Aird has arrived at #Laois count centre. He said he's 'delighted and very thankful' that he looks set to top the poll. The Portlaoise farmer's grandfather, William was elected to the Dáil for Cumann na nGaedhael in 1927 #Election2024

Fine Gael’s Willie Aird and Fianna Fáil’s Seán Fleming at Portlaoise count centre this evening waiting for the first count to be announced #Laois #Election2024

Early celebrations for Fine Gael’s Willie Aird in Laois. He has topped the poll with 9,269 votes just falling short of the quota of 9,570. Independent candidate Jason Lynch has been eliminated, and his 170 votes will now be transferred.

First count in from #Laois. Fine Gael’s Willie Aird comes out on top with 9,269 votes. Seán Fleming from Fianna Fáil received 8,123 votes while Independent Brian Stanley received 6,782. Sinn Féin’s Maria McCormack received 4,914 votes👇

This was how the first count figures in Laois compared to the final tally.

Fianna Fáil candidate Austin Stack has been eliminated on the second count in Laois this evening. His 502 votes are now being distributed.  FG’s Willie Aird picked up 20 votes from Ind Jason Lynch, who was eliminated on the 1st count. He is now 281 votes short of being elected.

Counting is quick here in #Laois. Third count is just finished. Ind Pauline Flanagan has been eliminated with FG’s Willie Aird expected to be elected on the fourth or fifth count.

Here is the RTÉ #Laois team bringing you all the results and info today from this three-seater Jackie Fox Pauric Lodge

Fourth count brings first time candidate Willie Aird even closer to being elected. The FG Cllr is just 100 votes shy of reaching the quota of 9,570. FF's Seán Fleming is now on 8,469 after receiving 64 votes from Ind Pauline Flanagan's transfers. Count five underway.

Fine Gael's Willie Aird has been elected in #Laois. The first-time candidate reached the quota on the fifth count. Aconsistent poll-topper in Portlaoise local elections, the farmer has been a member of Laois County Council for decades.

.Jackie Fox has an update from Laois as Fine Gael's Willie Aird takes the first seat in this constituency #Election2024

We'll be back tomorrow! Nobody has been elected in Laois on the sixth count so the Returning Officer Rory Hanniffy has suspended the count until 9am tomorrow. Elaine Mullally, Independent, has been eliminated and her transfers will be distributed in the morning.

Lovely morning at Scoil Chriost Rí in Portlaoise for day two of the count! #Laois #Election24

We're back in Portlaoise for day two of the Laois count. The seventh count began at 9am.

Fianna Fáil’s Sean Fleming takes the second seat in #Laois, reaching the quota on the 8th count

Former Sinn Féin TD running as an Independent Republican, Brian Stanley has taken the third seat in #Laois. He missed out on the quota by 58 votes however he was deemed elected by the Returning Officer.

Brian Stanley ready to go for RTÉ One’s election programme #Laois #Election2024

And that’s all from #Laois! Jackie Fox wraps up this three seater from Portlaoise #Election2024