All three Green councillors lose seats

FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL:ALL THREE sitting Green councillors on Fingal County Council failed to retain their seats.

David Healy and Robert Kelly lost out in the Howth/Malahide electoral area. Joe Corr failed to hold his seat in Balbriggan.

Local TD and Minister of State Trevor Sargent expressed disappointed at the loss of the seats. However, he said the Green Party should not panic. The best hope for the country was for the Greens to be in Government, he said.

Most of the Opposition parties benefited from the strong swing nationwide away from Government parties in the local elections.

However, Sinn Féin lost its only seat on Fingal County Council, with Paul Donnelly failing to hold the Mulhuddart electoral area.

The Labour Party did particularly well. Ken Farrell in Balbriggan and Peter Coyle in Howth/Malahide were both elected on the first count.

Fine Gael saw its number of councillors in Fingal rise from five to six, with Eithne Loftus in Castleknock elected on the first count.

Fianna Fáil saw its representation on Fingal County Council fall from five seats to four.

The Socialist Party made a strong showing. Former TD Joe Higgins was returned to Fingal County Council by being elected on the first count in the Castleknock area. Clare Daly topped the poll in Swords, while Ruth Coppinger was the first candidate elected in Mulhuddart.