Senator Healy Eames surprise at decrease in vote

Fidelma Healy Eames has expressed surprise at her massive drop in support in Galway West – to the same level she achieved when she first campaigned for the Dáil fifteen years ago.

Polling just 1,394 first preference votes in the constituency last weekend, her support collapsed by almost three-quarters.

As a Fine Gael candidate in 2011, she polled 5,046 first preference votes – taking 7th place after the first count out of 17 candidates.

However, this year, she dropped to 14th place out of 20 candidates.

She told the Connacht Tribune: “Look, it wasn’t to be. I’m disappointed obviously. The people have ultimately decided. I respect that completely.”

On the 72% drop in support, she said she was “surprised”.

“To be honest with you, that was [a surprise] because I had over 7,000 votes in 2011 and lost my seat by 45 votes, but this wasn’t my day. There’s really no more to say.”

Asked about her future in politics, she said she has not made a decision.

“Well, I’m still in the Seanad, I’m not going to make any big decisions today. Obviously it’s a conversation for another day.”

She was eliminated in the fifth count, with just 1,657 votes. In 2011, she was eliminated in the 11th Count – after her request for an entire recount of the first 10 was granted – and finished up on 7,024 votes.

Senator Healy Eames had called the recount despite instructions from Fine Gael officials regionally and nationally not to do so, but she claimed at the time she had their full backing.

She also ran an unsuccessful election campaign in 2002, when she took 1,320 first preference votes (leaving her in 15th place of 17 candidates).

Her support increased for Election 2007, when she took 3,904 first preference votes (7th place out of 15 candidates), but again failed to take a seat.

She has also served two terms as a senator – she was expelled from the Fine Gael party in 2013 after voting against the Government on abortion legislation, and became an Independent.