A full recount of votes is under way in the Galway West constituency, where Fine Gael has so far failed to return a TD.
The recount was ordered yesterday evening by Fine Gael’s Fidelma Healy-Eames after the tenth count in Leisureland, Salthill, when only 56 votes separated her from party rival Sean Kyne (FG).
At this stage, two candidates had already been deemed as elected - Fianna Fáil's Éamon Ó Cuív and Labour's new candidate, Derek Nolan.
However, they cannot be declared as elected by returning officer Marian Chambers-Higgins until the full count is complete.
It is understood that Fine Gael is questioning how Ms Healy-Eames received only a small number of votes in a particular area on the city's east side, where she would have expected to poll well.
Fine Gael councillor Brian Walsh, who is expected to take a seat, admitted yesterday that the party had run “too many candidates” in Galway West.
The four candidates were nominated after a controversial convention, which saw party chairman Padraig McCormack failing to be selected. .
Labour Party president Michael D Higgins expressed delight at polltopper Derek Nolan’s success, in taking the highest number of first preferences in the constituency. Mr Higgins topped the poll in 1992, and is now seeking the presidential nomination.
Mr Higgins said that it proved that Labour had a vote in Galway city and Connemara. It was not a “personal one” for him, but a “vote for Michael D’s kind of policies”.
Mr Higgins noted that it was the first time in 41 years that his name had not been on a ballot paper. He also welcomed the performance of Labour councillor Colm Keaveney in Galway East, and said that there was a traditional left wing vote in Tuam, developed by the late senator Bobby Burke, who was a candidate in Dail elections from 1933 to 1948.
Early tallies for Galway West have proved fairly accurate, predicting one seat for Fianna Fáil, one for Labour, one for outgoing independent TD Noel Grealish, one for Fine Gael and a battle for the fifth seat between Fine Gael and independent councillor Catherine Connolly.
Former marine minister Frank Fahey (FF) lost his seat on the seventh count.
Ms Connolly (Ind), a former city mayor and former Labour Party councillor, suffered a personal blow during the weekend when her stepmother passed away. Her father died very recently.