GALWAY EAST – Recount continues – votes found for McHugh

Date Published: 27-Feb-2011

BY DECLAN TIERNEY

The checking of votes in the Galway East constituency is continuing after a recount was called by Fine Gael’s Tom McHugh who finished just two votes behind Independent Timmy Broderick after the seventh count.

Counting staff are checking through the votes of the seven remaining candidates in the field and it is understood that around half a dozen votes have been discovered for Tom McHugh which would put him ahead.

The hope for Tom McHugh is that if Broderick is eliminated that his transfers might put both Fine Gael’s Paul Connaughton and Ciaran Cannon over the quota and that surpluses would transfer back to McHugh to make up the difference between himself and Labour’s Colm Keaveney.

There is currently 264 votes between them with Keaveney ahead. McHugh needs to make up that difference then it would result in a battle for transfers from Broderick to decide the fate of the final seat.

Already, Paul Connaughton, Ciaran Cannon and Micheal Kitt have secured seats although none of them have yet reached the quota.

It is expected that it will be 2 p.m. before the recount is completed