Galway East: 1st Count due between 3pm-4pm

The counting of votes in the three-seater Galway East constituency is well and truly underway and the result of the first count in Presentation College, Headford is expected sometime between 3pm and 4 pm.

The turnout in Galway East is around the 60% mark and the quota is expected to be in excess of 10,000 votes. It doesn’t look as if any candidate will exceed this magic figure in the first count.

As it stands, sitting Independent TD Sean Canney is set to top the poll – as he did in 2016 – and while his first preference vote is down on four years ago, this was to be expected given that Fianna Fail’s Donagh Killilea was in the race with both of them from Belclare.

Canney is assured of a seat and it is likely that Anne Rabbitte will take the second seat for Fianna Fáil but the destination of the third seat is anybody’s guess at the moment with Fine Gael Ciaran Cannon and Pete Roche being neck and neck and it is far too early to call.

The result of the first count might give a better indication as to where the Fine Gael seat will go, but nobody is brave enough to make any predictions as yet.