LAST UPDATE | 32 mins ago
SOLIDARITY PEOPLE BEFORE Profit’s Mick Barry has conceded the election in Cork North Central entering a full recount early – Labour’s Eoghan Kenny takes the last seat.
In the early hours of this morning as Eoghan Kenny of Labour was declared as taking the last seat by just 35 votes Barry, of People Before Profit Solidarity (PBPS), requested the move.
Martin Harvey, the returning officer for Cork City, met with Mick Barry and his team at 4.30pm today. Barry told Harvey that he was withdrawing his recount request as he believed there was no chance of success.
Earlier a full recount got underway as just 35 votes separated Kenny from Barry.
It emerged that during the recount that the gap had increased to 39 votes for Kenny.
The outgoing TD Mick Barry said that he had no regrets and paid tribute to his team
“We’ve withdraw our request for a full recount – we did that on the basis that with 63% of the vote counted that we were 39 votes behind and rather than Cllr Kennys lead narrowing, it was actually increasing by small margins.
“We’re not going to stay here until midnight just for the sake of it – it is clear the direction things were going on that basis we called for recount to end,” he said.
Mick Barry speaks about the conclusion of the Cork North Central count. #GE24 @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/HlmcAgyVrG
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) December 2, 2024
Barry said that he was tired after just four hours sleep but also after a lengthy campaign and pre-campaign.
“I’m fine – we gave it our best shot. We had a great team – 124 people participated in our campaign, Socialists, trade unionist, feminists, disability justice activists, queer activists.
“We had thousands of discussions on the streets where people brought up not being able to buy a house, not being able to afford the rent, the massive under funding of autism and disability services and the inequality in wealth in our society.
“I think Fianna Fail would be making a mistake if they felt with just over 40% of the vote in a less than 60% percent turn out, for a mandate for right wing policies.
“Young people in particular have major issues in the way they are dealing with the crisis and perhaps the housing crisis will be taken out on to the streets like the water charges were in the past,” he added.
Barry said he will take time to decide on what is the next plan but he said “I will always be a campaigner”.
Kenny said that he was “privileged” to be elected and was looking forward to getting to work in the 34th Dáil.
“I am extremely honoured to get this mandate from the people of Cork North Central – particularly the people of my hometown of Mallow that gave me this opportunity.
“It has been really evident, throughout the whole campaign there is a need for new politicians to tackle the issues that we are facing housing, health care and in many different issues.
“Being the youngest TD in Dáil Eireann is a real privilege and hopefully we’ll set the world alight above in the Dáil with the Labour Party with 11 TDs elected,” he said.
If successful Kenny, 24, would be one of the youngest TD in the Dáil – he is a teacher and is a native of Mallow, Co Cork.
He has worked with Sean Sherlock, the outgoing TD, and is a strong community worker and chair of the parish council in Mallow as well as working with the local Tidy Towns.
He was co-opted for James Kennedy’s seat after that councillor decided not to run in February.
He held that seat on the first count in Mallow electoral area and campaigned on a major infrastructure plan for his hometown.
New TD Eoghan Kenny speaking in Cork North Central after his election. @thejournal_ie #GE24 pic.twitter.com/vmYaQ4FZgo
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) December 2, 2024
Mick Barry is a stalwart socialist campaigner on the northside of Cork city – hewas first elected to Cork City Council in 2004.
He was heavily involved in the campaign against Campaign against home and water taxes in 2013. He has campaigned for local services as well as for support for the Palestinian people.
He was a founding member of the Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA) and was elected to the Dáil in 2016 on his fourth attempt as part of the AAA-People Before Profit grouping.
He retained his seat at the 2020 General election with Solidarity People Before Profit.
The candidates elected so far in Cork North Central are Padraig O’Sullivan, Thomas Gould, Ken O’Flynn and Colm Burke.
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