Independent TD Verona Murphy voted in as Ireland’s first female speaker

Her election is first action in moves to form new coalition government after no party won majority in general election

Verona Murphy has become the first female speaker of the Irish parliament as part of attempts to form a coalition government.

Murphy, an independent TD for Wexford, defeated two Fianna Fail candidates and one from Sinn Fein to win the 255,000 (210,000) a year position of Ceann Comhairle.