A full recount of votes in Galway West will commence later this afternoon.
This follows a request from Independent candidate Catherine Connolly who missed out on the fifth and final seat by just 17 votes from Fine Gael Cllr Seán Kyne.
The 13th count in the constituency ended just after 6am this morning.
At that stage, Fianna Fáil’s Éamon Ó Cuív, Labour’s Derek Nolan, Fine Gael’s Brian Walsh and Seán Kyne, and Independent Noel Grealish had been deemed elected. However, a request by Ms Connolly for a full recount of ballot papers was granted given her proximity to Mr Kyne. Counting is due to resume at 4pm.
The counting of votes in Galway West has gone on for four days now. A full recount of votes, which began on Sunday evening, was still in progress into the late hours yesterday under the supervision of returning officer Marian Chambers-Higgins.
The recount had been requested by Fine Gael senator Fidelma Healy-Eames when only 56 votes separated her from party rival Mr Kyne after the 10th count on Sunday evening.
Ms Connolly, a former Labour Party member, suffered a personal bereavement when her stepmother, Bridgid, passed away in Galway Hospice on Sunday, and the funeral is today.
However, she attended the count centre in Leisureland, Salthill, yesterday before her stepmother’s removal service.
Her campaign expressed unhappiness at the number of her votes which Fine Gael representatives had queried during the initial stages of the recount.
The dearth of information given on the progress contributed to a general atmosphere of frustration.
At one point, the count staff hosted visits by primary school pupils from Inverin in Connemara, and transition year media study pupils from Coláiste Einde in Salthill.
Fine Gael camps were said to be split on the issue, given that two candidates from the same party were perceived to be delaying the election result.
At about 6.27pm, Mr Healy-Eames said on her Twitter account: “No truth to rumour that FG HQ asked me to concede.
“Party’s legal adviser supporting my request for the recount.”