Still no candidate elected into eleventh count for Midlands North West

Counting for the 5 Midlands North West MEP seats will resume its eleventh count at 9 this morning.

Green Party's Pauline O'Reilly's 15,283 votes will be distributed today, after she became the 12th contender to be excluded from the contest.

Independent outgoing MEP Luke Ming Flanagan continues to lead the field, however he is still a bit away from the quota - meaning it may be Friday before a candidate is elected.

Fine Gael’s Nina Carberry, Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen and Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh are in the running for the three other seats.

Independent Ireland candidate Ciaran Mullooly is in fifth place, with Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew hoping for transfers from her running mate, outgoing MEP, Chris McManus,