LATEST: Seán Kyne catches Noel Thomas as Míde’s race is run
Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne has significantly narrowed the gap between him and the leading candidate in Galway West, Noel Thomas of Independent Ireland.
The elimination of Fianna Fáil’s Cillian Keane has boosted fellow Government party candidate Kyne in the race to take the Bye-Election seat.
On the ninth count, Kyne took 2,581 transfers off Keane; Thomas took 797.
This means Kyne has cut the lead of Thomas to 325 with two counts remaining.
The Social Democrats’ candidate Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich has been eliminated on the eighth count.
Her 6,158 votes will now be distributed for the tenth count.
Nic Fhionnlaoich’s transfers are expected to heavily favour fellow left candidate, Labour’s Helen Ogbu.
It’s likely they will also favour Kyne over Thomas.
NINTH COUNT:
(Distribution of Cillian Keane’s 5,154 votes)
Thomas, Noel (Ind Ire) +797 14,694
Kyne, Seán (FG) +2,581 14,369
Ogbu Helen +563 9,063
Nic Fhionnalaioch, Míde (SD) +220 6,158 ELIMINATED
Non-transferable: 993