THE 17 TDs to take up appointments as junior ministers in the new Government were announced late last night.

Sinn Féin representatives in Cork have committed to working with the newly appointed Government to deliver for Cork and the country, but say they have some reservations about what Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party coalition will achieve and ...

MEMBERS of the Fianna Fáil party in Cork were looking forward to new beginnings as they paid tribute to their new Taoiseach. Former Lord Mayor of Cork, Terry Shannon said the events of the last few days were “unreal”.

IN his first speech as Taoiseach, Micheál Martin outlined "recovery and renewal" as the priorities of Ireland's new Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Green Party government.

There has been an emotional homecoming for Micheál Martin this afternoon, as the newly-elected Taoiseach of the 33rd Dáil made the journey home to Ballinlough.

Incoming Taoiseach Micheál Martin has hailed his new role as "one of the greatest honours which anyone can receive". The Fianna Fáil leader was elected Taoiseach of the 33rd Irish parliament, with 93 TDs voting in favour and 63 against.

LATEST: Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has been elected Taoiseach by the 33rd Dail. Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail said it has "taken us a long time to get here".

Micheál Martin has said it will be “an honour and a privilege” to be elected Taoiseach tomorrow.

Today is decision day on the draft programme for government, as the votes of the membership of the three parties involved — Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green Party — are counted.

Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has said his party is ready to either go into Government or fight a second election, as he hit back at comments made by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin yesterday.

Sarah O’Dwyer

Opening government formation talks between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have established “common ground” but there are still “significant policy differences”.

“I’m a traditional Fine Gael voter, but I joined Sinn Féin last Wednesday,” one man told the room full of people gathered for Sinn Féin’s first public meeting in Cork tonight.

JOHN MINIHAN, a former senator and general election candidate from Cork, picks the bones from the election result and suggests a way forward in the Dáil

John Dolan digests the recent results of the General Election in his weekly column

DESPITE his election campaign taking a big toll on his finances, Independent candidate Seán O’Leary, says he is happy with his decision to run in 11 constituencies.

AFTER winning the Cork North-Central by-election in November, Pádraig O’Sullivan barely had time to take down his posters before they were going back up again.

AFTER his election to Dáil Éireann on Monday, Fine Gael’s Colm Burke has completed the Grand Slam of Irish politics. He’s now served as a councillor, a senator, an MEP, and a TD, with a year as Lord Mayor of Cork thrown in to boot.

WHEN talking about politics, Mick Barry rarely says “I”, opting instead for “we”. As he was deemed elected on Monday afternoon, the Solidarity TD was flanked by a team that would rival any of the bigger parties.

THE fallout from the general election over the weekend will be felt in City Hall, as a co-option and a seat swap will be necessary. With Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould’s election to Dáil Éireann, his seat on Cork City Council has been vacated.

FOR the last four years, Michael McGrath has had to find a way to criticise the flaws in Fine Gael’s budgets while taking credit for Fianna Fáil’s input.

“IT’S not too often a St Vincent’s man comes out to Nemo and comes away with a victory. It’s not just a victory for me or Sinn Féin; I hope it’s going to be a victory for the whole northside.

THE fallout from the general election over the weekend will be felt in City Hall, as a co-option and a seat swap will be necessary. With Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould’s election to Dáil Éireann, his seat on Cork City Council has been vacated.

HOLLY Cairns has asked to be judged on her ability and work ethic after she was repeatedly referred to as the girlfriend of Fianna Fáil's Christopher O'Sullivan during the election campaign.

FINAL RESULT: Thomas Gould (SF), Padraig O'Sullivan (FF), Colm Burke (FG), Mick Barry (Solidarity) are elected.  FINE Gael’s Colm Burke and Solidarity's Mick Barry have been elected to Dáil Éireann.

CORK NORTH CENTRALFINE Gael's Colm Burke and Solidarity's Mick Barry became the final two TDs to be elected to the Dáil in Cork today. In the Cork North Central constituency, Mr Burke was elected on count 14 with 10,649, surpassing the quota.

THOUGH Simon Coveney is known for being quite reserved, he now thinks radicalism might be the way forward for Fine Gael after its dismal polling over the weekend. But will he be the man to lead that change? So far, he's refused to be drawn.

DESPITE all incumbent TDs retaining their seats, Cork North-West demonstrated an appetite for change.

Sinn Féin topped the poll in three constituencies in Cork South Central, North Central and Cork East in an unprecedented performance which has been reflected nationally.

CITY councillor Paudie Dineen has said he is surprised he didn’t pull more of a vote in Cork South Central. Mr Dineen was eliminated on the third count, with 898, including transfers.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has expressed his profound disappointment that party colleague, Tim Lombard failed to win a seat in Cork South West - a constituency which he described as a "Fine Gael heartland".

With the way the wind is blowing as we enter day two of counting, Micheál Martin looks like he will be in the driving seat as coalition talks begin.

FINAL RESULT: Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (SF); Micheál Martin (FF); Simon Coveney (FG); Michael McGrath (FF) are elected.

Elected: Thomas Gould (SF) is the only candidate elected so far. The counting of votes in Cork North Central is set to resume at 9am Monday, with just one candidate so far elected to the four-seat constituency after the first five counts.

FINAL RESULT: Michael Creed (FG), Michael Moynihan (FF), Aindrias Moynihan (FF) are elected. All three seats have been filled for Cork North-West on the fifth count.

FINAL RESULT: Pat Buckley (SF), Sean Sherlock (Lab), James O'Connor (FF), David Stanton (FG) are elected.

FINAL RESULT: Michael Collins (Ind), Christopher O'Sullivan (FF) and Holly Cairns (SD) are elected.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has said a confidence and supply type agreement to form a government is “unlikely” and has categorically ruled out the possibility of Fine Gael working with Sinn Fein.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has said the Sinn Féin message of “real change” has hit home with the electorate. Final tallies for Cork South Central suggest he has taken 24.

A Corkman who feels he was forced out of the country by the housing crisis has hit out at legislation that prevents him from voting in today’s election.

The final day of campaigning for the General Election is underway. It has been a short campaign, but there have been many highs and lows for the candidates. Here are the best, worst and most memorable quotes from the last 25 days.

Micheál Martin has said that should he become the next Taoiseach he is “very committed” to the event centre project, but has raised concerns about where the €50m Government funding is coming from.

JOHN MINIHAN, a former senator and general election candidate from Cork, gives his view of our voting system and explains why this is a crucial time for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael

Cork people who have endured difficult experiences within the health sector in the past year have called on the next government to address issues in the service.

The director of a Cork charity has highlighted the rental crisis facing the incoming government and said even people with financial means are struggling to find a home.

Recent violence in Cork city has thrust law and order into the spotlight for the general election.

Micheál Martin was out and about in county Cork today, and joined James O’Connor to canvass in Youghal. The retail sector in the town was raised by the businesswoman who runs Kay’s Flowers at Clarke’s. “Micheál what we need is industries.

FOR the first time in a century, Ireland now has a three-party system. Though coalitions have been necessary for decades – Ireland is a multiparty system in that sense – only Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have ever been in a position to lead a government.

HIS antics have included everything from getting under the covers with a homeless man to travelling across Ireland on a fake drip and hospital trolley.

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD political activist had her voice heard by a candidate for Cork South-West when Cllr Holly Cairns took the time to pen her a letter.