Drama at Swinford count with full recount tomorrow

A FULL recount will take place tomorrow for the Swinford Electoral Area.

Sinn Féin candidate John Sheahan requested the recount when the counted votes showed him missing out on the fourth seat by a single vote.

The recount was announced by returning officer John Condon shortly after 9 p.m., the count having gotten underway at 2 p.m.

The fifth count saw the distribution of Gerry Murray's (Sinn Féin) surplus after his earlier election.

Their distribution left the four remaining candidates on the following number of votes:

John Caulfield (Fianna Fáil) 1,641

Neil Cruise (Fine Gael) 1,637

Adrian Forkan (Fianna Fáil) 1,668

John Sheahan (Sinn Féin) 1,636

Mr. Condon proceeded to exclude the lowest remaining candidate (Sheahan) and deemed Forkan, Cruise and Caulfield elected.

However, he told the count centre after cheers erupted, he had received a request from Sheahan for a recount and under the circumstances that was a reasonable request.

Mr. Condon said he proposes to conduct the recount tomorrow.

He will be announcing details in the morning.