Roscommon-Galway 4th Count: Dolan eliminated

Fine Gael candidate Aisling Dolan has urged the three-newly elected TDs to step up to the plate and take a seat in Government if given the chance.

The environmental campaigner from Ballinasloe who works at NUI Galway as a project manager with start-ups in healthcare and medtech, only joined the party last November after winning a seat as an Independent in the local elections last May.

The strategy to run her as the sole party candidate in this poll will have cost her dearly as it made her transfer-unfriendly leading to her elimination in count seven.

“I’ve been a strong voice and have presented a new vision in this constituency, which I will continue to do on Galway County Council,” she remarked.

“We need a stable government and if we don’t have somebody in one of the big parties we need the Independents to achieve change of sitting on the side of the fence, pointing the finger and being entertaining.

“One of the Independents had the chance of going into government and he didn’t last time. I hope that’s not repeated but we need real change in Galway, we need to get good quality broadband, we need to address rural decline – that will only happen if in government.”

Her first-time vote share at 12% –  or 5,391 first preference votes – will be regarded as very credible given her short association with the party. She was parachuted in after Senator Maura Hopkins withdrew after giving birth to a baby recently.

Her total – 6,162 – will see the other two candidates being elected on the fifth and final count, which is expected after 2am.

Number of seats: 3
Electorate: 69,598
Spoiled votes: 330
Total valid poll: 45,612
Quota: 11,404

Fourth Count
Fitzmaurice, Michael (Ind) Elected
Naughten, Denis (Ind) 8,422 +635 9057 +362 9419 + 1447 10,866
Kerrane, Clare (SF) 8,003 +319 8322 +368 8690 +712 9402
Dolan, Aisling (FG) 5,466 +169 5635 +75 5710 +452 6162
Murphy Eugene (FF) 4,945 +256 5201 +180 5381 +1861 7242
Leyden, Orla (FF) 2,953 +171 3124 +73 3197 Eliminated
O’Donoghue, Julie (GP) 1,413 +32 1445 +165 1610 Eliminated
Hope, James (Aontu) 504 +38 542 Eliminated
Tynan, Kieran (SPBP) 422 +20 442 Eliminated
Hanley, Paul (National Party) 319 +12 331 Eliminated
Fallon, Thomas D (Ind) 88 +21 109 – Eliminated
Eliminated: Aisling Dolan.
The next count is the fifth and final count.

THIRD COUNT
Fitzmaurice, Michael (Ind) Elected
Naughten, Denis (Ind) 8,422 +635 9057 +362 9419
Kerrane, Clare (SF) 8,003 +319 8322 +368 8690
Dolan, Aisling (FG) 5,466 +169 5635 +75 5710
Murphy Eugene (FF) 4,945 +256 5201 +180 5381
Leyden, Orla (FF) 2,953 +171 3124 +73 3197
O’Donoghue, Julie (GP) 1,413 +32 1445 +165 1610
Hope, James (Aontu) 504 +38 542 Eliminated
Tynan, Kieran (SPBP) 422 +20 442 Eliminated
Hanley, Paul (National Party) 319 +12 331 Eliminated
Fallon, Thomas D (Ind) 88 +21 109 – Eliminated

Nobody deemed elected. Eliminated O’Donoghue and Leydn.

SECOND COUNT
Fitzmaurice, Michael (Ind) 13,077 Elected
Naughten, Denis (Ind) 8,422 +635 9057
Kerrane, Clare (SF) 8,003 +319 8322
Dolan, Aisling (FG) 5,466 +169 5635
Murphy Eugene (FF) 4,945 +256 5201
Leyden, Orla (FF) 2,953 +171 3124
O’Donoghue, Julie (GP) 1,413 +32 1445
Hope, James (Aontu) 504 +38 542
Tynan, Kieran (SPBP) 422 +20 442
Hanley, Paul (National Party) 319 +12 331
Fallon, Thomas D (Ind) 88 +21 109

Eliminated Fallon, Hanley, Hope and Tynan

FIRST COUNT
Fitzmaurice, Michael (Ind) 13,077
Naughten, Denis (Ind) 8,422
Kerrane, Clare (SF) 8,003
Dolan, Aisling (FG) 5,466
Murphy Eugene (FF) 4,945
Leyden, Orla (FF) 2,953
O’Donoghue, Julie (GP) 1,413
Hope, James (Aontu) 504
Tynan, Kieran (SPBP) 422
Hanley, Paul (National Party) 319
Fallon, Thomas D (Ind) 88

Fitzmaurice re-elected on the first count.
Fitzmaurice’s surplus of 1,673 to be distributed.