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).