On the Labour panel, Chris Andrews of Sinn Féin was a notable winner. Mr Andrews lost his Dáil seat in Dublin Bay South at the general election. He was joined by Robbie Gallagher, Margaret Murphy O’Mahony and Pat Casey (Fianna Fáil), independent Gerard Craughwell, Nessa Cosgrove of Labour and Sinn Féin colleague Maria McCormack.

Liz Kimmins has taken over as Infrastructure Minister, with the former minister John O'Dowd taking up the finance brief. | UTV News

The veteran Sinn Fein politician is leaving his job as Stormont economy minister to take on a new role in the upper chamber of the Irish parliament.

Sinn Fein’s Newry and Armagh MLA Liz Kimmins is to become Stormont’s new minister for infrastructure. Party leader Mary Lou McDonald announced a reshuffle on the party’s front bench at Stormont following the election of outgoing economy minister Conor Murphy, who has secured a seat in Ireland’s Seanad.

Conor Murphy was first elected to Stormont for Newry and Armagh in 1998 Sinn Féin Economy Minister Conor Murphy has been elected to the Seanad (Irish parliament's upper chamber) and will quit his job at Stormont.

Sinn Fein Stormont minister Conor Murphy has secured a seat in the Seanad as the marathon counting process for the Irish parliament’s upper house edges closer to conclusion. Mr Murphy took one of the nine seats on the industrial and commercial vocational panel in a result confirmed close to 1am on Monday morning.