FINE Gael’s Kieran O’Donnell has been returned to Dáil Éireann after count number 10 here in Limerick Racecourse.
This count saw the sitting Fine Gael TD get 8,523 votes, surpassing the quota by just shy of 100 votes.
The Fine Gael man told this reporter after his re-election that it is a “great privilege” to be returned to the Dáil by the people of Limerick.
“It’s a great privilege to have been bestowed with the honour of being re-elected by the people in the Limerick City constituency,” he said.
“I very much enjoy what I do, and I’m delighted to be able to continue to deliver and work on behalf of people in the Limerick City constituency. It was a very enjoyable campaign, and really, I’m humbled by the whole experience,” a re-crowned Deputy O’Donnell said.
It was a nervous wait for the Fine Gael candidate, being returned on the 10 count on the second day of counting at Limerick Racecourse, with a wash of transfers from his party colleague.
“You always are apprehensive until you’re over the line, but certainly we know from the first count that we were, we were there or thereabouts, but you want to obviously get to a point where you’re fully elected. We’ve reached that point now,” he said.
Paying tribute to his running-mate Senator Maria Byrne, Deputy O’Donnell said that she had a “fantastic vote”.
It was Byrne’s transfers of 1,973 votes that got the sitting TD over the line to be returned to Dáil Éireann.
“We canvassed very hard, we had a great campaign, it was about engagement, and really the next number of years for me is continuing to work on behalf the people,” Deputy O’Donnell said.
What remains now in the city constituency will be an out and out dog fight, with Sinn Féin’s Maurice Quinlivan bound to be returned to his seat any time now (just spitting distance from the 8,435 quota on 8,350). The true fight is between Social Democrat’s Elisa O’Donovan and Labour’s Conor Sheehan who are now neck and neck with 4,152 and 4,151 votes respectively – literally just one vote apart.
Transfers from Willie O’Dea are still to be redistributed and Cllr Sarah Beasley is likely to be the next out, according to predictions on the count floor, so the race is truly going to be a photo finish for the fourth city seat.
