Final results complete for all but two councils across the State

The strongly contested last seats available in the local area elections have been filled today, with the exception of two postponed wards.

Following eight recounts across the country,with as little as four votes standing between some candidates, 29 councils have declared their full results.

The recount for the Dún Laoghaire electoral area was postponed until tomorrow and the election for Monaghan Council Council's Ballybay-Clones ward will go ahead in 12 days.

Leinster

The recount for the Swords ward for the Fingal County Council started yesterday and continued late into the night.

The last contested five seats were filled at 1am today.

Independent Michael Collins, who had asked for the recount on Sunday, was eliminated.

Socialist Party’s Eugene Coppinger, an Anti-Austerity Alliance candidate and brother of new Dublin West TD Ruth Coppinger, was elected after 17 counts.

Labour’s Duncan Smith won the final seat.

The full recount for Offaly's Tullamore electoral area got under way at 10am yesterday.

It was requested by independent candidate Sean O'Brien, who had missed out on the final seat to Fianna Fáil's Danny Owens by just four votes in the twelfth count.

However, Mr O’Brien was eliminated after the recount and Mr Owens got the final seat for the ward.

A full recount, requested by Independent candidate Sean Henry, continued fir Ratoath electoral in Co Meath into late last night.

Fine Gael candidates, Gillian Toole, Maria Murphy and Gerry O' Connor, took the last three seats. Mr Henry did not get through.

The Longford recount, which was called38 hours after the first boxes were opened and after the sixth count in Granard ward left Fine Gael's Frank Kilbride trailing Sinn Féin's John Reilly by just three votes.

Returning officer Nora O’Farrell announced about 2am that Mr Kilbride had requested a full reexamination of the ballot papers. The recount started at 11am today. The recount was finished at 8pm this evening.

Just 10 votes separated two candidates in Kilkenny as the recount in Castlecomer electoral area finished yesterday evening.

Returning officer Michael Delahunty confirmed the recount after the small number of votes separated the last candidate to be elected, Fianna Fáil's Michael McCarthy and Sinn Féin candidate Caitriona Redmond.

Six candidates were elected including Mr McCarthy. Ms Redmond did not make it through.

In Louth, the recount for the Ardee ward was completed yesterday.

The result saw the elimination of Independent Hugh Conlon and the election of Sinn Féin's Tom Cunningham, Fine Gael's Dolores Minogue and Independent Jim Tenanty.

The recount for the Arklow electoral area in Wicklow, which started this morning, was called by right-to-die campaigner Tom Curran whose partner Marie Fleming passed away in December.

He called for a recalculation after the ninth count when he was just 13 votes behind Sinn Féin’s Mary McDonald.

The recount has now been completed. Ms McDonald has been elected and Mr Curran eliminated.

The count for the Dún Laoghaire ward for the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council was adjourned Sunday.

Labour requested for the ballots be rechecked after long-serving councillor Jane Dillon Byrne lost out on the final seat to Mary Fayne of Fine Gael by a margin of about 18 votes.

The count will recommence in the Assembly Hall, County Hall, Dún Laoghaire tomorrow at 9.30am.

Munster

In Limerick, the Adare-Rathkeale electoral area has finished its full recount and count with all 40 councillors now elected.

Independent candidate Patrick C Fitzgerald called for the recount. After the seventh count he was trailing by 10 votes behind Fine Gael candidate Rose Brennan.

However, it was Sinn Fein’s Ciara McMahon who took one of the last seats.

Connacht

In Mayo, the recount for the Ballina and Castlebar electoral areas started yesterday evening.

The Ballina ward recount was completed at 7.45pm yesterday and the Castlebar local area results were announced in the early hours of this morning.

Following the death of Fine Gael candidate Owen Bannigan, who collapsed and died while canvassing last Friday, Monaghan County Council postponed the Ballybay-Clones electoral area.

All acts done in connection with the election to the ward (other than nominations) were declared void.

Voting will take place on June 7th from 8am- 10pm.