DAY FOUR IN the count centres.
We’re almost there.
With three full days of counting under their belts, workers at count centres across the country will be packing up with the knowledge that 943 local councillors have been elected across 137 areas.
However, there are still six seats to be filled and one recount to look after.
The Ballybay-Clones area of Monaghan will be repolled on 7 June following the sudden death of Councillor Owen Bannigan. That vote will account for the six seats on Monaghan County Council.
A recount has been ordered in Dun Laoighaire so the eight councillors elected so far have an anxious wait to see if their seats are secure.
John Bailey (FG), Cormac Devlin (FF), Melisa Halpin (PBP), Ossian Smyth (GP), Karl Gill (PBP), Patricia Stewart (FG), Mary Fayne (FG) and Michael Merrigan (Ind) all look set to take seats, barring an upset on Wednesday morning, when the recount is due to take place.
Turnout last Friday stood at 51.6%.
As things stand, Fianna Fáil hold 266 seats across the country, the largest number of any party.
‘Independents and Others’ received over 28% of the vote, giving them 237 seats across the 31 city and county councils.
Trailing slightly behind is Fine Gael, which has lost a huge chunk of support since taking office in 2011. The party will have 232 local representatives.
Meanwhile, there were massive gains for Sinn Féin which now holds 157 seats. It is also the largest party on the Dublin City and South Dublin councils.
The poll was a disaster for Labour, which will now have just 51 seats across the country.
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