Local Elections 2024 Kerry: Jackie Healy-Rae ‘You’d have to be happy with that’

Jackie arrived at the count centre shortly before 3pm ahead of the first count.

“I just said that I would be happy if I could hold my vote from the last time. That was my aim and you’d have to be happy with that,” he said.

3pm: Here is the state of play for the parties in Kerry after two completed tallies

Corca Dhuibhne tallies show FG at 32% with an increase from the 2019 result while FF are at 30% in this electoral area – a decrease from their 2019 result.

It has been a great day for the Sinn Fein party with a significant increase from the party’s 2019 result in this area. According to tallies the party is on 19% here.

The Green party has also seen an increase from 2019 result standing at 13% of the vote.

It is a different state of play with the Castleisland Electoral area with Independents gaining here in this area standing at 59% of the tallied vote. All other parties have seen a decrease with FG on 15% and FF just ahead on 16% both down on 2019 results. Sinn Fein is on 8% of the vote according to the tallies.

2pm: Minister for Education Norma Foley (FF) says that the results will “come down to the wire.”

“Today reminds us that counts are a long long business. It will stretch over a couple days and it shows that ever vote counts. It really will go down the wire as we can see from the early tallies.”

“All boxes are open now and it adds to the high tension here…. There are a lot of candidates here and I admire that because personally I find the count really really trying. It is really difficult when you are a candidate.

12.22pm With counting underway in the Corca Dhuibhne LEA, early signs look particularly positive for Sinn Féin who did not win a seat in the Corca Dhuibhne LEA in 2019 but are on course to win one this time.

The battle for Fine Gael representation is interesting as Tommy Griffin tallied remarkably better than his party running mate, and incumbent councillor, Séamus Cosaí Fitzgerald who looks to be in trouble.

A first result is expected in the early afternoon. Early predictions would suggest one seat for Sinn Féin and Fine Gael, with a battle for the final seat between two Fianna Fáil candidates, Breandán Fitzgerald and Michael O’Shea. Green Party candidate Peadar Ó Fionnáin is also in with shout.

11.15am The 34 Castleisland boxes have now been opened and tallied and once again Jackie Healy-Rae – the son of Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae – is set to top the poll with 30.2% of the vote and likely to have a quota and a half when final figures are tallied

It appears there is to be little change in this area with Cllr Charlie Farrelly (Independent) also set to retain his seat standing at 18.4% of the vote.

Fionnán Fitzgerald (FF) is also performing well and set to retain his seat at 15.7% of the vote following closed behind FG candidate and another sitting councillor Bobby O’Connell at 15.3% of the vote.

Controversial candidate Michelle Keane (Independent) has polled well taken 10.1% of the vote but is unlikely to get a seat but of course transfers are what it is all about.

Interestingly she polled well in Knocknogoshel where she is from but also outpolled Deirdre Bell (SF) who is from the same area.

Sinn Fein had a poor performance in this electoral area at 7.5% of the vote. It has also been a bad day for the Green Party and Aontú with just over 1% of the vote each.

The electorate is 15,082 and turn-out was 63.4%. The estimated quota is around 1,921,

10.30am: All 28 boxes in the Corca Dhuibhne Local Electoral Area have now been tallied and there is set to be changes ahead.

It appears likely that Tommy Griffin (FG) with 22.5% of the vote will top the poll according to tallies and win a seat.

So too will Sinn Fein with their candidate Robert Brosnan, on 18.6% of the vote. They both failed to get a seat in 2019.

Cllr Mike O’Shea (FF) has also polled well in the tallies with 17%. The Green party candidate has had a great performance with Peadar Ó Fionnán polling well with a current 12.9% of the vote. Both of these may end up fighting it out for a seat although transfers may not go towards the Greens.

Breandán Fitzgerald (FF) is on a par with the Green party candidate at 13% and will be in the battle too.

Sitting councillor Seamus Cosaí Fitzgerald (FG) with 9.4% of the vote could lose his seat.

Mike Kennedy, a local auctioneer, currently looks like he will be eliminated first with just 6.8% of the vote according to the tallies. He is a first time candidate.

There was a 60.5% turnout in area, which has an electorate of 12,324. The estimated quota is 1,911

Tallying is continuing with the Castleisland boxes now open.

Kerry has 77 candidates – the largest number in living memory – vying for 33 seats.