Galway East
Counting in New Inn about to get underway
The opening of the boxes in the new three-seater Galway East constituency will commence at 9am this morning.
The first boxes to be opened will be in the eastern part of the constituency at Clonfert before moving onto the Menlough and Moylough boxes and then concentrating on the six Loughrea boxes.
Galway East used to be a four-seater but it has now been reduced to three as a stretch of territory from Ballinasloe across to Dunmore has now been included in a new Roscommon-Galway constituency.
There are 10 candidates in the race for the three seats and it is expected that a full tally of votes will be completed by 12 noon on Saturday with a first count expected at around 4pm
Traditionally the first boxes to be opened in the constituency were in Ballinasloe town but these are now in the new Roscommon-dominated constituency – much to the annoyance of voters in the East Galway town.
It is expected that the Galway East count will be completed by Sunday evening at the latest – barring a recount.
The candidates in the three-seater Galway East constituency are Sean Canney (Ind), Ciaran Cannon (FG), Paul Connaughton (FG), Michael Fahy (Ind), Lorraine Higgins (Lab), Colm Keaveney (FF), Aengus Melia (DDI), Mairead Ni Chroinin (GP), Anne Rabbitte (FF), Annemarie Roche (SF).
Fine Gael will struggle to hold its seat in Galway City East.
With just over half the boxes tallied for Galway City East, Fianna Fáil’s Alan Cheevers looks set to take a seat, polling at over 17 per cent of first preferences.
With Mervue, Ballybane and Tirellan polling stations still to be tallied, Cheevers has taken the lead, with Independent councillor Terry O’Flaherty slipping into second with 16 per cent.
Incumbent Fianna Fáil councillor Mike Crowe is on 10.5 per cent, with Independent councillor Declan McDonnell on 8 per cent.
The Green’s Claire Hillery looks to be benefitting from the party’s nationwide jump in the polls, collecting 6.5 per cent of first preferences.
Sitting Councillors Noel Larkin (Ind), Mairéad Farrell (SF) and John Walsh (FG) are polling at 7.5 per cent, 5.7 per cent and 6.7 per cent respectively.
Also still in contention is the Social Democrats’ Owen Hanley with 6.6 per cent of the vote.
City East Tallies with 50% of boxes open
A concession on turf cutting, an examination of the decision to close rural Garda stations and post offices – as well as flood alleviation – are all on the shopping list for at least two of Galway’s independent TDs before any agreement to support a new Government.
Both Michael Fitzmaurice from Glinsk and Sean Canney from Tuam have been in discussions with the main parties since the general election with a view to securing their support.
They are part of the six-strong Independent Alliance which also includes Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran and Shane Ross – but top of their list concerns they have regarding rural Ireland.
It is understood that part of any deal would see some concession on the whole turf cutting controversy, while the issue of the closure of rural Garda Stations and rural post offices are also high on the agenda.
Deputy Canney said that so too was the recent flooding crisis and added that many farmers and individual householders were still suffering.
The Independent Alliance will hold further discussions with the parties and Deputy Canney emphasised that they were not demanding ministerial positions but just a better deal for rural Ireland.
They are demanding, however, that there will be a full Minister for Rural Affairs appointed once the new government is formed.
Deputy Canney added that it was being suggested that a TD in each constituency would report back to this department.
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