Local Elections 2024 Wexford: No official count for Saturday as first results to be announced Sunday morning

Broadly speaking, tallies show that Wexford voters appear to be favouring incumbent candidates, however, there are a few notable exceptions. The talk of the count centre, however, is the difficulties Sinn Féin are facing around the county. They’ll face a scrap to avoid any losses, while Independents and the Wexford Independent Alliance make some gains.

10.38pm

No results will be announced in Wexford tonight. Staff will continue to sort the ballot papers until midnight but there will be no counts from the centre on day one. A long and frustrating day for candidates and staff with no one elected and a very real possibility of proceedings running into Monday.

5.38 p.m.

Still working their way through the European ballot papers in Wexford, no announcement on the locals expected until 8 pm at the earliest.

4.30 p.m.

The combined Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael tallies are showing that Labour’s George Lawlor looks set to top the poll in the Wexford Borough District with 2,233.

He’ll be followed by Robbie Staples (FG) on 1,518 and Garry Laffan (FF) 1,391 and Leonard Kelly (IND) 1,309.

Tom Forde may well be the only Sinn Féin candidate elected in the Wexford Borough District with tallies putting him at 1,075.

There’s a notable drop to the rest of the field, with transfers likely to play a key part in deciding the final two seats. The tallies have Wexford Independent Alliance candidates Dave Ryan and Ray Shannon at 521 and 491 respectively.

Labour’s Catherine Biddy Walsh is at 486 on the tallies with Davy Hynes (SF) in a spot of bother at 468.

Those in the business of predictions believe that Labour may retain their two seats in Wexford, with Vicky Clancy Barron on 448 and transfers likely to prove key.

Meanwhile, the tallies have Emmet Moloney (FF) on 447; Michelle O’Neill (WIA) on 400; Lorraine Smyth (SF) on 253 and Stephen Power (Irish People) on 139.

3.50 p.m.

Tallies from Wexford count centre have Pat Barden of the Wexford Independent Alliance (WIA) topping the poll in the New Ross district with 1920 first preferences. Fianna Fáil’s John Fleming is next with 1341 followed by Marty Murphy of the WIA (1246) and Fianna Fáil’s Michael Sheehan (1243).

In this six-seater, Michael Whelan, also Fianna Fáil, is next with 1147 votes with Bridin Murphy next on 1002. Independent candidate John Dwyer received 992 first preferences and sitting councillor Anthony Connick received 864 first preferences, with Harry Twomey (FG) on 862 and Sinn Féin’s Kayleigh Goodison on 851.

Labour’s Bridin Lyng Maloney received 435 according to the tallies with a trio of independent candidates Anne Flynn (148), Raymond Forte (146), and James Furlong (138) bringing up the rear.

3.30 p.m.

The early combined tallies from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael from the Rosslare LEA in Wexford shows that Aontú councillor Jim Codd looks likely to top the poll with 2,423 votes, followed by Ger Carthy (IND) on 1,892.

Also looking likely to retain their seats in the Rosslare LEA are Frank Staples (FG) with 1,346 and Lisa McDonald (FF) with 1,150.

If indications are correct, there’ll be one hell of a battle on for the final available seat, with tallies showing Wexford Independent Alliance candidate Joe Druhan to be the best of the rest with 669, followed by Aoife Rose O’Brien (SF) on 648; Simon Boyse (FF) on 516; Jack Barden (WIA) on 471; Mick Roche (SF) on 437; Damien Corish (Labour) on 327; Willie Fitzharris (FG) on 194 and Jason Murphy (National Party) on 113.

1 p.m.

Combined Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael tallies have sitting Fine Gael councillor Cathal Byrne (FG) topping the poll in the Enniscorthy LEA with 2,284. The tallymen have Fianna Fáil incumbents Aidan Browne and Barbara Anne Murphy on 1,641 and 1,317 respectively.

The tallies are showing Independents John O’Rourke and Jackser Owens going well at 1,136 and 1,127 respectively.

Bringing up the rest of the field are Patrick Kehoe (FG) on 960, Colette Nolan (677), Wexford Independent Alliance candidates Cyril Wheelock (658) and Majella Wall (564), Alfie Ó Súilleabháin SF (285), Eamonn Doyle Ind (282), Brendan Cahill Flynn (261).

12 p.m.

Tallies for the smallest of the six Wexford LEAs sees the four incumbent councillors faring best for the four seats for now.

Mary Farrell (IND) looks set to top the poll with 1,679, while Pip Breen (FF) is at 1,433; Oliver Walsh (FG) is on 1,421 and Willie Kavanagh (FF) is on 1,107.

The two challengers Paddy Kavanagh of the Wexford Independent Alliance and Declan Kenny of Sinn Féin are on 905 and 854 respectively.

Kenny’s transfers could play a big part and could potentially see Paddy Kavanagh catch Willie Kavanagh for the final Kilmuckridge seat.

11:30 a.m.

The first confirmed tallies, agreed by both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, make for good reading for sitting Fianna Fáil councillor in Gorey Donal Kenny, who looks set to top the poll in the Gorey LEA.

Those tallies have Kenny at 1,648 – surpassing the suggested quota of 1,642. It’s likely that Wexford Independent Alliance candidate Nicky Boland will also take a seat with tallies suggesting 1,355, while according to the tallymen Joe Sullivan is at 1,256 and Anthony Donohoe on 1,209.

Darragh McDonald is coming in at 1,114 in the tallies, suggesting two seats for Fine Gael is possible.

FF/FG tallymen stating that “the Sinn Féin surge has failed to materialise in Gorey”. Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin is likely to take a seat, but faces a scrap with tallies 905. Tallies are instead showing an “independent surge”. FF/FG expect to see more independents fare well over the course of the day.

Another Independent Alliance candidate Jimmy Fleming is coming in at 927 on the early tallies, while sitting Fianna Fáil councillor Andrew Bolger is in a major scrap with 851.

There’s a drop in the numbers to the remaining candidates with the tallies showing Kevin Molloy at 532, Lorna Fitzpatrick at 412, Darren McGovern at 372 and Aisling Hudson at 110.

The 72 candidates will battle it out for 34 seats on Wexford County Council. In terms of the six electoral areas, 14 candidates will contest 7 seats in the Wexford Borough District while there will be 12 for the 6 seats in Enniscorthy.

Both the Gorey and New Ross LEAs are crowded fields with 14 candidates vying for 6 seats, as is Rosslare with 12 seeking election to the 5 seats up for grabs. The opposite could be said of Kilmuckridge with just 6 candidates competing for 4 seats.

The real talking point in Co Wexford has been the emergence of a new political entity in the Wexford Independent Alliance (WIA), put together by Independent TD Verona Murphy.

A level of political ambiguity exists around the WIA. While it claims to be a collection of “strong like-minded independents”, the 12 candidates all run under the same branding and appear to have a formidable leader in Verona Murphy who has been out on the doorsteps with them in recent weeks.

Among the 12 candidates are a UEFA referee, an award-winning mental health advocate, a former Fine Gael Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, assorted business people and a candidate who has served as both a Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil councillor, as well as running as an Independent.

It’s noteworthy that of the seven sitting Independent councillors, only one has joined Deputy Murphy’s new project (New Ross poll-topper Pat Barden) which adds an unknown entity to the political landscape.

The trouble that Deputy Murphy’s former party Fine Gael are in nationally is reflected locally in Wexford. Four of their nine sitting councillors have opted to retire from local politics, setting in motion a major reshuffle and scramble for candidates.

In the Gorey LEA, FG have enlisted Paralympic gold medallist Darragh McDonald in a bid to hang onto the seat being vacated by Diarmuid Devereux.

Fianna Fáil will run 14 candidates in a bid to re-assert the dominance which saw them claim 12 of the 34 Wexford County Council seats last time out. The 12 sitting councillors are joined by a first-time candidate in Rosslare and a Wexford man who previously left the party for an unsuccessful independent run before re-joining ahead of this upcoming election.

This election should give a good indication of where Sinn Féin actually is. While in the last General Election, poll-topper Johnny Mythen broke long-standing records with his tally of votes, prior to that he lost his seat on Wexford County Council in the local elections, leaving Sinn Féin with just two councillors until veteran councillor Davy Hynes, an Independent former Labour Party councillor, opted to join bringing them to three.

Sinn Féin are running candidates in every district with a total of 11 names on the ballot paper.

Labour will run six candidates across the county, half of whom are running in the Wexford Borough District. The party will be pinning a lot on the performance of serial poll-topper and heir-apparent to Brendan Howlin’s seat in Dáil Éireann George Lawlor as he aims to pull two first-time candidates over the line with him.

The Green Party has never really had a foothold in Wexford and this is reflected in its two candidates running across the six LEAs.

People Before Profit have one candidate running in Gorey, while Aontú will be hoping to hang onto the seat won by Jim Codd in Rosslare who enjoys a reasonably high profile locally.

Taking the Wexford Independent Alliance candidates out of the equation, there are 12 Independent candidates seeking election.

Having topped the poll in Rosslare on the last occasion and in Wexford prior to the new district’s establishment, Ger Carthy will be expecting another strong performance, however, the independents are certainly facing another layer of uncertainty with the addition of the Independent Alliance.

With immigration being such a huge talking point nationally at the moment, Wexford is not immune. Ireland First, The National Party and The Irish People will all be represented on the ballot paper with one candidate each.

Candidates by LEA

Wexford (7 seats)

Vicky Clancy Barron (Lab)

Tom Forde (SF)*

Davy Hynes (SF)*

Leonard Kelly (Ind)*

Garry Laffan (FF)*

George Lawlor (Lab)*

Emmet Maloney (FF)

Michelle O’Neill (Ind)

Stephen Power (The Irish People)

Davy Ryan (Ind)

Raymond Shannon (Ind)

Lorraine Smyth (SF)

Robbie Staples (FG)

Catherine Biddy Walsh (Lab)

Enniscorthy (6 seats)

Aidan Browne (FF)*

Cathal Byrne (FG)*

Brendan Cahill-Flynn (Green Party)

Eamonn Doyle (Ind)

Pat Kehoe (FG)

Barbara-Anne Murphy (FF)*

Colette Nolan (SF)

John O’Rourke (Ind)*

Alfie Ó Súilleabháin (SF)

Jackser Owens (Ind)*

Majella Wall (Ind)

Cyril Wheelock (Ind)

Kilmuckridge (4 seats)

Pip Breen (FF)*

Mary Farrell (Ind)*

Paddy Kavanagh (Ind)

Willie Kavanagh (FF)*

Declan Kenny (SF)

Oliver Walsh (FG)*

New Ross (6 seats)

Pat Barden (Ind)*

Anthony Connick (Ind)*

John Dwyer (Ind)

John Fleming (FF)*

Anne Flynn (Ind)

Raymond Forte (Ind)

James Furlong (Ind)

Kayley Goodison (SF)

Bridín Lyng Maloney (Lab)

Bridín Murphy (FG)*

Marty Murphy (Ind)

Michael Sheehan (FF)*

Harry Twomey (FG)

Michael Whelan (FF)*

Rosslare (5 seats)

Jack Barden (Ind)

Simon Boyse (FF)

Ger Carthy (Ind)*

Jim Codd (Aontú)*

Damien Corish (Lab)

Joe Druhan (Ind)

Willie Fitzharris (FG)

Lisa McDonald (FF)*

Jason Murphy (The National Party)

Aoife Rose O’Brien (SF)

Mick Roche (SF)

Frank Staples (FG)*

Gorey (6 seats)

Nicky Boland (Ind)

Andrew Bolger (FF)*

Cillian Byrne (Ind)

Anthony Donohoe (FG)*

Lorna Fitzpatrick (Lab)

Jimmy Fleming (Ind)

Aisling Hudson (People Before Profit)

Donal Kenny (FF)*

Darragh McDonald (FG)

Darren McGovern (Ireland First)

Kevin Molloy (SF)

Fionntáin Ó Súilleabháin (SF)*

Joe Sullivan (FF)*

Ann Walsh (Green Party)

*sitting councillors