A 19-year UCC student, going into his second year, was today elected to Cork County Council as the youngest member of the 55-seater council.

Ben Dalton-O'Sullivan from Ballygarvan said his victory was a success for rural voters who are the "forgotten" people of the electorate.

The undergraduate in local government studies at UCC said he intends to fully fulfill his commitments to both college and his new county council duties in the greater Carrigaline local area.

Along with FG's Liam O'Connor, he was elected without reaching the quota.

Audrey Buckley, a community activist in Crosshaven, was elected on the 7th count and joined FF party colleague Seamus McGrath who scooped 4,247 votes - the highest in the country.

Cllr McGrath had been elected on the first count with Independent Marcia D'Alton and FG's Aidan Lombard. All three were outgoing councillors in the restructured Carrigaline local election area.