131 SEATS HAVE SO FAR BEEN FILLED IN THE 31ST DAIL.

THAT INCLUDES THE CEANN COMHAIRLE, WHO'S AUTOMATICALLY RETURNED.

THE BREAKDOWN SHOWS FINE GAEL HAS 59 SEATS AND LABOUR HAS 31.

FIANNA FAIL HAS 14 SEATS, WHILE SINN FEIN HAS 13.

11 INDEPENDENTS HAVE BEEN ELECTED SO FAR, AND THE SOCIALIST PARTY HAS 3 SEATS.

9 COUNTS ARE DUE TO RESUME THIS MORNING, WITH 38 SEATS LEFT TO FILL.

IN THIS REGION, THE MAYO COUNT CONCLUDED SHORTLY BEFORE 4 AM THIS MORNING.

FINE GAEL LEADER ENDA KENNY AND MICHAEL RING WERE ELECTED ON THE FIRST COUNT, WHILE MICHELLE MULHERIN OF FG, FIANNA FAIL’S DARA CALLEARY AND FINE GAEL’S JOHN O’MAHONY WERE ELECTED ON THE 8^TH AND FINAL COUNT.

IN ROSCOMMON-SOUTH LEITRIM, INDEPENDENT LUKE MING FLANAGAN WAS FIRST ELECTED ON THE 4^TH COUNT, FOLLOWED BY FINE GAEL’S FRANK FEIGHAN AND DENIS NAUGHTON.

IN SLIGO-NORTH LEITRIM, JOHN PERRY AND TONY MCLOUGHLIN OF FINE GAEL TOOK THE FIRST TWO SEATS, WHILE THE 3^RD SEAT WENT TO SINN FEIN’S MICHAEL COLREAVY.

IN THE 5-SEATER GALWAY WEST CONSTITUENCY, NO HAS YET BEEN ELECTED – THE COUNT RESUMES IN LEISURELAND TODAY.

INDEPENDENTS TOM KING, UINSEANN HOLMES, MIKE CUBBARD, EAMON WALSH AND THOMAS WELBY HAVE ALL BEEN ELIMINATED, ALONG WITH NIALL O’BROLCHAIN OF THE GREEN PARTY AND FIANNA FAIL’S MICHAEL CROWE.

DEREK NOLAN OF LABOUR AND FIANNA FAIL’S EAMON O’CUIV LOOK SET TO TAKE THE FIRST TWO SEATS, WITH OVER 8,000 VOTES EACH.

NOEL GREALISH, INDEPENDENT AND BRIAN WALSH OF FINE GAEL ARE NEXT IN LINE, WHILE CATHERINE CONNOLLY INDEPENDENT HAS GONE AHEAD OF FINE GAEL’S FIDELMA HEALY EAMES ON TRANSFERS – THE FIFTH SEAT MAY BE A 3-WAY RACE BETWEEN THE TWO WOMEN AND FINE GAEL’S SEAN KYNE.

FRANK KEARNEY WILL BE KEEPING US UP TO DATE WHEN PROCEEDINGS RESUME IN LEISURELAND.

AND IN THE 4-SEATER GALWAY EAST, NO SEAT HAS YET BEEN FILLED – THE COUNT WILL RESUME TODAY AT THE COMMUNITY CENTRE IN NEW INN.

FIANNA FAIL’S MICHEAL KITT HAS EDGED CLOSER TO THE QUOTA, WHILE FINE GAEL’S PAUL CONNAUGHTON JUNIOR AND CIARAN CANNON LOOK SET TO TAKE THE 2^ND AND 3^RD SEATS.

THE 4^TH SEAT IS STILL UP FOR GRABS, WITH COLM KEAVENEY OF LABOUR, FINE GAEL’S TOM McHUGH AND TIM BRODERICK, INDEPENDENT, STILL IN CONTENTION.

TAOISEACH IN WAITING ENDA KENNY'S EXPECTED TO DECIDE LATER WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE FORMATION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT.

IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHETHER A COALITION WITH LABOUR OR A SINGLE PARTY GOVERNMENT PROPPED UP BY INDEPENDENTS WILL BE ELECTED WHEN THE 31ST DÁIL MEETS ON MARCH 9TH.