Iran Press/Europe: Sitting comfortably on top of the polls since the campaign began, the incumbent sailed through to a win on the first count with 822,566 first preference votes or 55.8 per cent of total valid votes, according to Independent.
A total of 1,473,900 valid votes were cast in Ireland's presidential election.
During an impassioned acceptance speech, President Higgins said: "People have made a choice as to which version of Irishness they prefer... I will be a President for all of the people."
Higgins used his re-election speech to call for an end to the “scourge of violence against women”.
The president promised to represent everybody in the country, regardless of whether they voted for him or not.
He promised to identify those facing exclusion in society, which he said was “more than just eliminating barriers, it means the exercising of new initiations”.
“A real Republic is a Republic of equality, of shared vulnerabilities and of collective capacities", he added, continuing, “A real Republic is one where every person is encouraged and supported to participate fully and where every person and community is treated with dignity and respect.
He said the country is “now in a time of transformation” and through the presidency he hoped to allow “an independent space where new ideas and possibilities can emerge”.
Standing in front of his five rivals at Dublin Castle, Michael Higgins said he campaigned on “values which the Irish public have now overwhelmingly chosen as reflecting what they believe to be the important and necessary basis for Ireland and our future”. The president noted that the years ahead will see the commemoration of “challenging, often difficult, periods of our history”.
“This task will require sensitive thought, reflection and understanding – an ethics of memory and a narrative of hospitality, enabling different versions of shared events to be placed side by side, uncomfortable truths acknowledged.”
Over the next years in Áras an Uachtarain, the President said he would represent “Ireland’s voice, as we face challenges that are global”.
“The urgent need to end the scourge of violence against women cannot be deferred, but must be ended now,” he said to applause.
“I will, on your behalf, represent an Ireland committed to a peaceful world and a shared planet and together we will ensure that Ireland’s voice matters.
“This is a time to be active rather than passive, and clear choices are opening up as to what will be the character of our Irishness.”
He concluded the country had voted for “the making of hope” rather “than the experience of any exploitation of fear”.
“I will be a President for all the people, for those who voted for me and those who did not. I am so proud of our country, I am proud to be a President for all of you and with all of you, and I look forward with joy and hope to all that we will achieve together.”
The defeated candidates congratulated Mr Higgins after his speech and all expressed no regrets about entering the campaign.
Joan Freeman earned just 87,908 votes (6.0pc), while Gavin Duffy failed to make an impression on the electorate and gained just 32,198 votes (2.2pc).
The 77-year-old Micheal received the largest ever mandate in the history of the State, albeit from the lowest ever turnout in a presidential election.
The Irish presidential election of 2018 took place on Friday, 26 October
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