LE2024 Navan Recount: Shock as veteran Tommy Reilly loses seat

Veteran Fianna Fail councillor and outgoing cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Tommy Reilly, has lost his seat on the county council.

On the 13th count in the Navan Electoral Area this evening, Independent, Alan Lawes, Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael), Yemi Adenuga (Fine Gael) and Padraig Fitzsimons (Fianna Fail) were elected without reaching the quota.

Cllr Reilly, a former mayor of Navan who has been a public representative since 1997, said he was very disappointed, and hit out at Fianna Fail vote management.

"500 of my first preferences would have transferred to other Fianna Fail candidates. There were 1,000 votes to be transferred from two other Fianna Fail candidates and I got 22 from one and 64 from the other. That tells a story of very bad management," he said.

On Monday, outgoing mayor, Sinn Fein's Cllr Eddie Fennessy topped the poll and was elected on the first count, along with Aontu's Cllr Emer Tóibín.

Outgoing Independent councillor, Francis Deane was elected on the 12th count.

Earlier this afternoon, Returning Officer Dara McGowan had announced the original result of the Navan Count still stood, following a full recount of the votes in the Navan Electoral Area which began at 10am this morning (Tuesday).

As a result, Fianna Fail's Kashif Ali was eliminated and his transfers were distributed.

The recount had been granted at Ali's request when he was eliminated on the 11th count, as Sinn Fein's Caoimhe Ni Shluain finished ahead of him by a margin of just seven votes.

Fennessy polled 1,711 with Tóibín pulling in 1,588 first preferences, both clear of the quota of 1,496.

Cllr Fennessy said he was "humbled" by the vote. "I wasn't expecting to top the poll. I want to thank everyone who put their faith in me with a vote, There is a busy five years ahead."

Cllr Tóibín said she was very pleased with the result having grown her vote to 14 per cent.

"I very grateful to the voters who put their trust in me and acknowledged my hard work. I also want to say a huge thank you to the canvassers who helped my in my campaign over the past seven months."

Cllr Deane said he was delighted to be elected and and was looking forward to the next five years.

"It will be an exciting few years with a lot of changes in Navan," he said.

He was pleased to have held his vote. "As an Independent it is not easy," he said. "It is very important to engage with the voters.

Independent councillor, Alan Lawes said he was very happy to be elected for the second time.

"It is a privilege to be elected the first time, but to be elected for a second term is based on your record over the past five years, so it makes it even more rewarding.

"Five years ago I ran on a promise, this year I was running on my record. It is the work you do on the ground that matters."

Cllr Lawes ran a poster free campaign for the second time. "Hopefully in five years time, well will all running poster free campaigns," he said.

Fianna Fail's Kashif Ali who called for the recount said he felt the margin of 12 votes was so close that he had to look for it to be checked and he thanked the council staff for their work.

He was pleased with his result on his first outing. "This is a start rather than an end. It was a very short campaign. I want to thank the people that supported me and apologise to those I didn't get round to see during the campaign."

Sinn Fein's Caoimhe Ni Shluain said she was disappointed she didn't get across the line, but was delighted that the Sinn Fein vote had increased and that Eddie Fennessy had topped the poll.

"I ran a positive and engaging campaign and it is great to see the standing the party has in Navan."

NAVAN

Electorate 25,710

Total Poll 12,189

Spoiled Votes 227

Total Valid Poll 11,962

Quota 1,496

First Count

Fennessy, Eddie (SF) 1,711 Elected

Tóibín, Emer (Aontu) 1,588 Elected

Deane, Francis (Ind)1,164

Fitzsimons, Pádraig (FF) 920

Nelson Murray, Linda (FG) 870

Reilly, Tommy (FF) 794

Lawes, Alan (Ind) 774

Adenuga, Yemi ( FG) 755

Ali, Kashif (FF) 694

Ní Shluáin, Caoimhe (SF) 512

Kelly, Ross (FG) 441

McMenamin, Séamus (Green) 349

Cyriac, Jose (Aontu) 333

O'Shea, David (IFP) 297

Murphy, Frances (SF) 240

Carroll, Niamh (FF) 225

O'Toole, Francis Aontu 169

Gillick, Edel (Ind) 126

Second Count

Distribution of Fennessy's surplus

Deane + 12 1,176

Fitzsimons +19 939

Nelson Murray +10 880

Reilly + 10 804

Lawes + 20 794

Adenuga +4 759

Ali + 3 697

Ní Shluáin +76 588

Kelly +3 444

McMenamin +5 354

Cyriac + 2 335

O'Shea + 2 299

Murphy +40 280

Carroll + 1 226

O'Toole +6 175

Gillick + 2 128

Count Three

Distribution of Emer Toibin's surplus

Deane + 6 1,182

Fitzsimons + 3 942

Nelson Murray + 6 886

Reilly + 5 809

Lawes + 6 800

Adenuga +3 762

Ali +2 699

Ní Shluáin +3 591

Kelly, Ross +2 446

McMenamin +1 355

Cyriac +7 342

O'Shea +2 301

Murphy + 3 283

Carroll, +2 228

O'Toole + 40 215

Gillick +1 129

Gillick eliminated

Count Four

Distribution of Gillick's transfers

Deane +16 1,198

Fitzsimons +3 945

Nelson Murray +7 893

Lawes +27 827

Reilly +2 811

Adenuga + 5 767

Ali +0 699

Ní Shluáin +0 591

Kelly + 1 447

McMenamin + 1 356

O'Shea +47 348

Cyriac +2 344

Murphy + 2 285

Carroll +1 229

O'Toole +8 223

O'Toole eliminated

Count Five

Distribution of O'Toole's transfers

Deane +24 1,222

Fitzsimons +4 949

Nelson Murray +6 899

Lawes +11 838

Reilly +9 820

Adenuga + 6 773

Ali + 1 700

Ní Shluáin +9 600

Kelly +2 449

Cyriac +82 426

O'Shea +21 369

McMenamin +10 366

Murphy +9 294

Carroll +7 236

Carroll eliminated

Count Six

Distribution of Niamh Carroll's transfers

Deane + 22 1,244

Fitzsimons +50 999

Nelson Murray +32 931

Reilly +22 842

Lawes +2 840

Adenuga +14 787

Ali + 39 739

Ní Shluáin +10 610

Kelly +12 461

Cyriac +5 431

McMenamin + 8 374

O'Shea +1 370

Murphy +2 296

Frances Murphy eliminated

Seventh Count

Distribution of Murphy's transfers

Deane +17 1,261

Fitzsimons +7 1,006

Nelson Murray +6 937

Lawes +19 859

Reilly +7 849

Ní Shluáin +183 793

Adenuga + 4 791

Ali + 4 743

Kelly +2 463

Cyriac + 5 436

McMenamin +6 380

O'Shea +5 375

O'Shea eliminated

Eighth Count

Distribution of O'Shea's transfers

Deane +74 1,335

Fitzsimons, +5 1,011

Lawes +95 954

Nelson Murray +6 943

Reilly + 5 854

Ní Shluáin +16 809

Adenuga +0 791

Ali +2 745

Cyriac +32 468

Kelly +4 467

McMenamin +4 384

McMenamin eliminated

Ninth Count

Distribution of McMenamin's transfers

Deane +36 1,371

Fitzsimons +27 1,038

Lawes +44 998

Nelson Murray +40 983

Reilly +16 870

Adenuga +70 861

Ní Shluáin +40 849

Ali +29 774

Kelly +31 498

Cyriac +14 482

Cyriac eliminated

Tenth Count

Distribution of Cyriacs transfers

Deane + +48 1,419

Fitzsimons +11 1,049

Lawes +41 1,039

Nelson Murray +17 1,000

Adenuga +43 904

Reilly +10 880

Ní Shluáin +18 867

Ali +38 812

Kelly + 24 522

Kelly eliminated

Eleventh Count

Distribution of Kelly's Transfers

Deane +33 1,452

Nelson Murray +145 1,145

Lawes +41 1,080

Fitzsimons +20 1,069

Adenuga +107 1,011

Reilly +25 905

Ní Shluáin +14 881

Ali +62 874

Ali eliminated

12th Count

Distribution of Ali's transfers

Deane +68 1,520

Nelson Murray +92 1,237

Adenuga + 200 1,211

Fitzsimons +123 1,192

Lawes +54 1,134

Reilly + 64 969

Ní Shluáin +32 913

Deane elected

Ni Shluain eliminated

13th Count

Lawes + 183 1,317

Nelson Murray +56 1,293

Adenuga +61 1,272

Fitzsimons, +47 1,239

Reilly +56 1,025

Lawes, Nelson Murray, Adenuga and Fitzsimons elected with reaching the quota