Catherine Connolly should push New Ireland discussion as president, says the SDLP leader Claire Hanna - as she praises the Sinn Fein-backed candidate on her victory as Irish head of state

The MP for South Belfast and Mid Down put out a warm statement as Ms Connolly’s rival Heather Humphreys, the Fine Gael candidate, conceded defeat to her independent rival.

Ms Hanna said: “On behalf of the SDLP, I offer our sincere congratulations to Catherine Connolly on her election as president of Ireland. We also extend best wishes to Heather Humphreys and commend her commitment to reconciliation and to focused dialogue about the future of this island.

“The president of Ireland is far more than a symbolic figure. As well as representing this island on the world stage, past presidents have played a powerful healing role, reaching out to communities across the North and acting as a force for reconciliation and progress.”

Ms Hanna said: “The SDLP believes President Connolly can use her term to provide a platform for honest discussion about a New Ireland. This conversation is not going away, and the president has a unique convening role in helping to shape it.”

The SDLP leader also called for Irish citizens in Northern Ireland to get votes in such presidential elections across the border: “We welcome President Connolly’s remarks about her relationship with the North and would urge her to do everything possible to ensure this is the final time Irish citizens here are unable to vote in a presidential election.

“I look forward to meeting President Connolly in the weeks ahead and working with her throughout her term to build a better future for everyone on this island.”

Heather Humphreys congratulated Catherine Connolly as she looked secure to become the next president of Ireland by a significant margin.

Ms Connolly said earlier on Saturday that she was “absolutely delighted” with tallies indicating she is the clear victor.

The electorate had the choice between left-wing independent Ms Connolly, former cabinet minister Heather Humphreys and ex-Dublin football manager Jim Gavin, until he withdrew from campaigning three weeks ago.

From early on Saturday, Ms Connolly was ahead in count centres nationwide.

There also appeared to be a significant number of spoiled votes.

Speaking to reporters at the Cavan-Monaghan count centre, Ms Humphreys said: “Catherine will be a president for all of us and she will be my president, and I really would like to wish her all the very, very best.

“I have absolutely not one regret.”

Speaking to reporters in Galway earlier on Saturday, Ms Connolly said: “I am absolutely delighted with the result and I want to thank all my supporters.

“Actually, I want to thank everybody – even those who did not vote for me.

“I understand their concerns in relation to who will represent them best.”

As ballot boxes opened and votes are sorted ahead of the official count, activists and volunteers observe the process to form unofficial tallies.

These calculations put Ms Connolly on path for victory, with different regions putting that candidate on between 50-75% of the vote.

There were also a significant number of spoiled votes with anti-Government messages on them, including “no democracy”, “EU puppets” and “no from me”.

Among the messages on spoiled votes were “Maria Steen”, who failed to get enough nominations to become a candidate, and references to an alleged sexual assault on a 10-year-old girl that sparked anti-immigration demonstrations in west Dublin this week.

Local Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin said the scale of the vote for Ms Connolly was “very, very significant”.

He added: “A huge Catherine Connolly vote here, an absolute collapse not just of the Fianna Fail vote – and that was to be expected – but of the Fine Gael vote as well, (which is) really remarkable in a constituency where Fine Gael used to have two TDs and currently have a sitting junior minister.

“And then of course there is a significant number of spoils, you can’t deny that. And what it tells us is there are people out there who are very angry, who are very unhappy.

“Our job in the time ahead is to try and convince more of those people that there is an alternative, there is a message of hope, and we hear the fact that they are not happy. So there is a job of work to do afterwards.”

Aontu leader Peadar Toibin has revealed he spoiled his vote for the presidential election.

Speaking to reporters at the RDS Simmonscourt count centre, Mr Toibin said: “I’m going to be brutally honest with you, and I feel weird even saying this, I spoiled my vote yesterday.”

Mr Toibin said he drew three Xs beside the candidates and wrote in the name of Ms Steen instead.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy claimed Ms Connolly will win the Irish presidency “by the biggest margin ever of any presidential election”.

Speaking to the PA news agency at Dublin Castle, Mr Murphy described the election as “historic”, adding this will be the “first national election where the left will have won over 50% of votes on first preferences”.