GIVEN the climate before the General Election, Cllr Daniel Butler, Fine Gael, believes the party is very happy with early counts in Limerick City and County, but feels there will be a battle for a second seat.
With the first count underway, Senator Kieran O’Donnell was in the top four candidates, with Deputy Maurice Quinlivan, Sinn Féin, leading the count and Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil in second.
Cllr Butler said if the early counts are anything to go by, it means the party will retain its seat in Limerick City, saying, “There were some predictions we were going to get wiped out, but they were very far and wide of the mark.”
“In the county, we are still very competitive there trying to retain the two seats,” he said, noting Minister Patrick O’Donovan was leading the early count in Limerick County.
“Very close there though, eliminations will play a big part in it. For the final seat in Limerick City, that’s where the big questions are lying, where will Maurice Quinlivan’s surplus go?” he asked.
“They will probably favour Daly [Frankie Daly, Independent], that will bring him into it, and Leddin [Brian Leddin, Green Party], and possibly Maria [Byrne, Fine Gael] or Jan O’Sullivan [Labour], but at this stage if I was going to call it, I would say it’s going to be Daly or Leddin,” the Fine Gael Councillor concluded.
First count still underway, so far Limerick City top 4 candidates:
Maurice Quinlivan SF- 22.19%
Willie O’Dea FF – 19.4%
Kieran O’Donnel FG – 15.25%
Brian Leddin GP – 7.52%See pic for further figures. #KeepingLimerickPosted #GE2020 pic.twitter.com/akTrHmWcbj
— Limerick Post (@limerickpost) February 9, 2020
