A FULL RECOUNT has been called by an independent candidate in North Tipperary after an initial appeal found the latest count was closer than initially reported.
The issue arose after the ninth count, when the two lowest candidates (Independent candidate Jim Ryan and Fianna Fáil’s Michael Smith) were separated by 7 votes.
Jim Ryan held 6,362 votes after transfers from Michael Lowry’s surplus and other eliminated candidates.
Michael Smith led with 6,369 votes.
A recheck of the 5,000 eliminated votes of Phyl Bugler (Fine Gael) votes put Smith ahead with one vote. A second recheck put Smith ahead by two votes.
The recount starts at 11am tomorrow.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Jim Ryan said that he asked for the second check “to make sure no further errors are there”.
“For democracy reasons, it’s important that we get it right. staff are tired, mistakes can be made, and it’s already been proven that mistakes have been made.”
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