Andrew Carey
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JUST 24 votes separate Labour’s Jan O’Sullivan and Sinn Fein’s Maurice Quinlivan as the count to fill the remaining three seats in the Limerick City constituency goes to the wire.
Following the transfer of votes from eliminated Social Democrat, Sarah Jane Hennelly, the outgoing Labour TD scooped over 450 more votes than her Sinn Fein rival as she bids to retain her seat in a last gasp effort.
Cian Prendiville (AAA) has now been eliminated in the race and his votes are to be transferred among the four remaining candidates.
As the announcement that the Anti Austerity Alliance councillor was eliminated, cheers went up from supporters as the group chanted slogans against water charges.
Speaking as she arrived to the Limerick Count Centre at the University of Limerick, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan said that she is proud of bucking the national trend having secured 11 per cent of the vote in Limerick city.
Accepting that it is a very close race and one that may go down to the wire, Deputy O’Sullivan said that she’s hoping for sufficient transfers to retain her seat and keep the Sinn Fein candidate from crossing the line ahead of her.
Meantime, Fine Gael stablemates Kieran O’Donnell and the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan are edging ever close to the election mark.
