Second FF seat ‘within our grasp’ – Calleary

HOPEFUL Lisa Chambers and Dara Calleary pictured, at the Mayo count centre at Castlebar this evening, could take two of the four Mayo seats. Pic: Michael McLoughlin

Anton McNulty
Castlebar

Fianna FΡil TD Dara Calleary believes two seats in Mayo are within his party’s grasp as it battles it out with Fine Gael for the final seat.
The sitting TD and his party colleague Lisa Chambers arrived in the count centre in the TF in Castlebar around 6.15pm and were greeted by party supporters and the awaiting media.
According to tally figures, Calleary is on 9,328 votes, while Lisa Chambers has surprised many by polling 8,193. This puts her ahead of sitting TD Michelle Mulherin by 317 votes and gives her a real chance of winning a second for the party, which would mean two seats for Fianna FΡil for the first time since the 2002 general election.
“We have a long night here yet,” said Calleary, who was first elected in 2003. “There is only one thing we are going to concentrate on here, and that’s getting the two seats which are within our grasp. We have to make sure we see that journey through.
“We are not celebrating or counting our chickens. We are very happy with the vote we have here in Mayo and grateful to everyone in Mayo who gave us their vote. We are especially grateful to the Fianna FΡil organisation, which has put in a massive effort.”
Deputy Calleary also brushed off talks of potential government coalitions, saying that they will talk about coalitions when all the seats are filled.
Lisa Chambers told reporters she wasn’t surprised by her first-preference tally, as she ‘sensed the mood for change on the doorsteps’. However, she warned that nothing had been achieved yet, and that it would be a battle for the last seat.
“My team has put in a huge effort, and it is thanks to them that we are in with a real chance of taking a second seat for the party,” she said.