General election results challenge adjourned

Two unsuccessful candidates in last year's general election have had their court challenge to the results adjourned until next…

Two unsuccessful candidates in last year's general election have had their court challenge to the results adjourned until next Wednesday.

Ms Kathryn Sinnott and Mr Nicky Kelly were given to leave to challenge the outcome of the election in their constituencies in separate High Court hearings last week after the Public Office Commission (POC) found several TDs had exceeded the permitted spending limited in their campaigns.

Mr Kelly stood as a Labour candidate in Wicklow where two TDs - Fine Gael's Mr Billy Timmons and former Fianna Fáil minister Mr Joe Jacob - were found to have exceeded the limit by €3,000 and €10,000 respectively.

Mr Kelly lost out on a seat after a series of recounts by 19 votes. However, the candidate who finished directly ahead of him, Independent Ms Mildred Fox, did not overspend during her campaign.

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Ms Sinnott is claiming that in her constituency of Cork South Central the three outgoing Fianna Fáil TDs returned last year had all failed to properly declare their expenses.

She says the Minster for Health, Mr Martin, and his constituency colleagues, Mr Batt O'Keefe and Mr John Dennehy did not include costs such as mobile phone bills in their statutory declaration of election expenses. Ms Sinnott lost out by just six votes to Mr Dennehy after in a marathon election count.