Richard Finn re-elected to Mayo County Council

INDEPENDENT councillor Richard Finn has been re-elected to Mayo County Council. 

Cllr Finn took the second of six seats on Claremorris Municipal District Council when he exceeded the quota of 1,954 on the third count to reach a total of 2,047 votes. 

His surplus will now be distributed among eight remaining candidates to decide the next four councillors to be elected in the Claremorris Local Electoral Area. 

Ballinrobe-based Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Ryan is now just 53 votes shy of the quota and looks certain to retain his seat. Likewise, Ballinrobe-based Fine Gael councillor Michael Burke is still in the running with 1,726 while Fine Gael's Alma Gallagher from Ballyhaunis is going well with 1,536 votes. She is expected to receive a large transfer from Ballyhaunis-based Fianna Fáil candidate Stephen Nolan, who has 901 votes as it stands. 

Tom Connolly (Fine Gael) and Paul Lawless (Aontú) neck-on-neck with Mr Lawless on 1,325 and Cllr Connolly on 1,319 votes. 

Cllr Patsy O'Brien was the first councillor from the area to be elected after he was elected on the first count with 2,739 first preference votes. 

Despite a drop in his 2019 vote, the former Fine Gael councillor comfortably exceeded the quota to be re-elected as an Independent. 

Eamon Phelan (Sinn Féin), Sandra Sweetman (Independent), Árón Ceallaigh (The Irish People) and Geraldine Kelly (Independent) have been eliminated. 

You can follow the latest updates on the Mayo County Council elections on our live blog.