Sinn Féin’s overall first preference vote has dropped by more than five percentage points from the 2020 election.
Following a final first preference declaration on Sunday lunchtime the party is at 19%.
This is a drop from the record performance in the last general election when the Mary Lou McDonald-led party grabbed 24.5% of first preference votes.
On Sunday Fianna Fail received 21.9% of the first preference votes with Fine Gael on 20.8%.
While Sinn Féin’s first preferences have dropped considerably from the previous election, the party performed much better than the percentage numbers registered in the local elections and recent polls which had the party as low as 14%
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Ms McDonald described the performance as “incredible” and is continuing to talk up the potential for her party to lead a left leaning coalition into government.
Despite the fall in first preference votes, Sinn Féin is expected to return more TDs because of much improved vote management and a enlarged Dail.
Sinn Féin scored highest in Connaught/Ulster and in Dublin, more than the other main parties.
The party received 29% of first preferences in the north west, compared to 21% for FG and FF on 18%.
In Dublin, SF received 21% of first preferences, with FG on 17% and FF on 14 points.
These numbers compare to a low of 16% in Munster for the party, where FF took a quarter and FG 22%.
In the rest of Leinster, FG received approximately 23%, FF 21%, while SF took 20% of first preferences, according to the data.
