Fine Gael faces tough battle to hold seat in by-election in party heartland

All sides will try to downplay bad outcomes

A ballot paper at a polling station in Dublin as voting in the Dublin Bay South by-election is under way. Polls opened at 7am and will close at 10.30pm, before the count begins on Friday. Picture date: Thursday July 8, 2021. The vote follows weeks of campaigning in the race to succeed ex-Fine Gael minister Eoghan Murphy in the constituency. PA Photo. See PA story IRISH ByElection. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

John Downing

The front-runners in the Dublin Bay South by-election have a date with fate today as counting begins to name a new TD.

Months of intensive campaigning peaked around dawn yesterday, even before the polls opened, as the key parties did early morning leaflet drops and canvassed all the main routes around the constituency.