Ireland re-elected its President for a second term, official results showed on Saturday, despite a surge in support for the runner-up after controversial comments targeted at the Irish Traveller ethnic minority.

Michael D. Higgins, a Left-wing former arts minister who enjoyed the support of three of the four largest political parties, easily won re-election to the largely ceremonial role with 56 per cent of the vote, the electoral commission said.

Media coverage had focused on the surge in support for Independent businessman Peter Casey, who came second with 23 per cent of the vote, up from 2 per cent in an opinion poll just days earlier.

Commentators linked the surge to his comments on Irish Travellers, one of the most marginalised groups in society, who he said did not pay their fair share of taxes and generally camped on other people’s land.

Irish voters also looked set to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution in a referendum held alongside the election. Exit polls and early results indicated the measure had been backed by more than two-thirds of voters. It is currently illegal to publish or speak of anything “grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters considered sacred by any religion”.