2024 Laois Local Elections Day Three

Live coverage from the Portlaoise count centre.

23.06

All 19 seats in Laois County Council have been filled.

They are as follows:

Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick:

Conor Bergin (FG)

James Kelly (IND) 

Paddy Bracken (FF)

Ollie Clooney (IND)

Seamus McDonald (FF)

John King (FG)

Graiguecullen/Portarlington:

Aidan Mullins (SF)

Ben Brennan (IND)

Paschal McEvoy (FF)

Padraig Fleming (FF)

Aisling Moran (IND)

Vivienne Phelan (FG)

Portlaoise:

Willie Aird (FG)

Caroline Dwane Stanley (SF)

Tommy Mulligan (IND)

John Joe Fennelly (FF)

Catherine Fitzgerald (FF)

Barry Walsh (FG)

Marie Tuohy (LAB)

22.52

Fine Gael’s Vivienne Phelan has been deemed elected after a recount in Graiguecullen/Portarlington found two errors.

Local Returning Officer Donal Brennan confirmed both of those were non-material.

Ms. Phelan's votes exceeded her party colleague’s, PJ Kelly, who has lost his seat.

22.12

Fianna Fáil’s John Joe Fennelly and Catherine Fitzgerald, Fine Gael’s Barry Walsh and Labour’s Marie Tuohy have been deemed elected following the 14th count in Portlaoise.

The seven seats in the Portlaoise LEA have now been filled.

Fine Gael’s Thomasina Connell, has lost her seat.

Ms. Connell’s elimination confirms Fine Gael has lost a seat in Laois, falling from six to five.

The councillors in the Portlaoise LEA are as follows:

Willie Aird (FG)

Caroline Dwane Stanley (SF)

Tommy Mulligan (IND)

John Joe Fennelly (FF)

Catherine Fitzgerald (FF)

Barry Walsh (FG)

Marie Tuohy (LAB)

The final state of the polls in Portlaoise after the 14th count:

21.17

Fianna Fáil’s Naeem Iqbal has been eliminated after the 13th count in Portlaoise.

His 765 votes will be distributed to the remaining candidates.

There are just five candidates remaining in the LEA, with four seats left to fill.

Fianna Fáíl's John Joe Fennelly remains at the top of the polls of the remaining candidates - he's 14 shy of the quota.

He's trailed by party colleague Catherine Fitzgerald, Fine Gael's Barry Walsh, Labour's Marie Tuohy and Fine Gael's Thomasina Connell.

The state of the polls after count 13:

20.34

With Paddy Buggy's elimination on the tenth count in Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick, Fine Gael are now unlikely to retain their existing seats, and instead lose one.

The party will retain its seat in Graiguecullen/Portarlington, with a recount due to take place to determine if PJ Kelly or Vivienne Phelan will take the final spot in the LEA.

It has retained both of its seats in Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick, with Conor Bergin and John King now confirmed to hold their spots.

However, it's likely Fine Gael will lose one of its three seats in Portlaoise, with Thomasina Connell looking set to miss out on retaining her seat.

Willie Aird has locked down his seat in the area, and Barry Walsh is also very likely to retain.

It would mean Fine Gael's number of seats has fallen from six, to five.

20.07

Independent Tommy Mulligan has been deemed elected after exceeding the quota in Portlaoise on the 12th count.

His 183 surplus votes will now be distributed.

Fianna Fáil's John Joe Fennelly is just 20 votes shy of reaching the quota.

Fine Gael's Thomasina Connell has surpassed Fianna Fáil's Naeem Iqbal in the pollings, however Labour's Marie Tuohy is likely to take the final seat in Portlaoise - she's 241 votes ahead of Ms. Connell.

19.36

Fianna Fáil’s Paddy Bracken, Fine Gael’s John King, Independent Ollie Clooney and Fianna Fáil’s Seamus McDonald have been deemed elected following the 10th count in the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick area.

The six seats are as follows:

Conor Bergin (FG)

James Kelly (IND) 

Paddy Bracken (FF)

Ollie Clooney (IND)

Seamus McDonald (FF)

John King (FG)

Fine Gael’s Paddy Buggy has missed out on a seat.

18.57

Local Returning Officer Donal Brennan has announced a correction to the 11th Portlaoise count.

Pauline Flanagan has been eliminated with a final vote count of 677, not 571, as was previously announced.

18.52

We’re heading for a recount in the Graiguecullen/Portarlington area.

It follows the 10th count in the LEA.

Fine Gael’s PJ Kelly and Vivienne Phelan are in contention for the final seat in the area.

Staff will be begin recounting after their tea, Local Returning Officer Donal Brennan has announced.

17.57

Independent Pauline Flanagan has been eliminated from contention after the 11th count in Portlaoise.

Her 571 votes will be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Independent Tommy Mulligan has surpassed Fianna Fáil's John Joe Fennelly to take the lead among the remaining candidates.

Labour's Marie Tuohy has put some distance between herself, Fianna Fáil's Naeem Iqbal and Fine Gael's Thomasina Connell for the final seat in Portlaoise.

She's now nearly 200 votes ahead.

Just nine votes separate Mr. Iqbal and Ms. Connell.

17.40

Sinn Féin's Lorna Holohan-Garry has been eliminated from contention in Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick.

Her 800 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Ms. Holohan-Garry's elimination confirms Sinn Féin didn't make any gains in the 2024 Local Elections in Laois, but the party did retain its two existing seats.

17:10

Independent Dom Dunne has been eliminated following the tenth count in Portlaoise.

His 542 votes will be distributed to the remaining candidates.

16.57

Nobody has been eliminated or deemed elected following the ninth count in Graiguecullen/Portarlington.

Aisling Moran’s surplus of 47 will be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Fine Gael’s PJ Kelly and Vivienne Phelan remain in contention for the final seat.

16.33

Just one seat left to be filled in Graiguecullen/Portarlington.

Fine Gael's PJ Kelly and Vivienne Phelan are vying for the sixth seat.

Elected councillors so far are as follows:

Aidan Mullins (SF)

Ben Brennan (IND)

Paschal McEvoy (FF)

Padraig Fleming (FF)

Aisling Moran (IND)

16.20

Sinn Féin’s Maria McCormack has been eliminated following the ninth count in Portlaoise.

Her 418 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Sinn Féin is down to its last remaining candidate in Laois - Lorna Holohan-Garry is on 778 votes in Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick.

She's currently trailing all of the remaining candidates in the area.

16.07

Fianna Fáil's Brian Phelan has been eliminated after the eighth count in Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick.

His 700 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Fianna Fáil's Seamus McDonald has also surpassed Fine Gael's Paddy Buggy in the polls, putting him as the favourite for the sixth and final seat in the LEA.

If Mr. McDonald is elected over Mr. Buggy, it would mean the make-up of Councillors in the area remains the same.

15:50

Independent candidate, Bolaji Mojeed Adeyanju has just been eliminated in the 8th count in Portlaoise. 

His 385 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates. 

15.36

Fianna Fáil’s Padraig Fleming and Independent Aisling Moran have been deemed elected after exceeding the quota in Graiguecullen/Portarlington.

Mr. Fleming’s surplus of 152 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

After leaving Fine Gael to run as an Independent, and her father passing away last year, Ms. Moran says it's an emotional day:

While Fianna Fáil's Padraig Fleming says there'll be a number of issues he'll be pushing upon his return to the council chamber:

15.17

Independent Ireland’s Colette Byrne has been eliminated following the seventh count in Portlaoise.

Her 352 votes will be distributed to the remaining candidates.

15.07

Fine Gael’s Conor Bergin and Independent James Kelly have been deemed elected after the seventh count in Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick, after exceeding the quota.

Mr Bergin’s surplus of 101 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Mr. Kelly exceeded the quota, with a surplus of 28.

14.52

Meanwhile, it's shaping up to be a very close contest for the seventh and final seat in Portlaoise.

Less than 60 votes separate Labour's Marie Tuohy and Fianna Fáil's Naeem Iqbal, while Fine Gael's Thomasina Connell is also hot on their tails.

Mr. Iqbal says he'll be hoping for transfers from a number of candidates:

14.10

Green Party candidate Rosie Palmer has been eliminated following the sixth count in Portlaoise.

Her 313 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Her elimination also means there'll be no Green Party representation in the local authorities in Laois, Offaly, or Westmeath, after each of the party's candidates were eliminated over the past few days.

13.49

Sinn Féin's Lorna Holohan-Garry has been saved from elimination in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick sixth count, following a hefty distribution from party colleague Helen Campion.

She jumped two places, and is now above Fianna Fáil's Brian Phelan and Fintan Cuddy, who's just been eliminated.

His 601 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

13.30

Independent Noel Burke has been eliminated following the fifth count in Portlaoise.

His 290 votes will be distributed to the remaining candidates.

13.19

Fine Gael will be watching closely to see if the party can retain its seats in Laois.

Conor Bergin and John King are very likely to hold in Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick, but all eyes will be on Paddy Buggy to see if he can take a seat from sitting councillor, Fianna Fáil's Seamus McDonald.

Willie Aird has already retained his seat in Portlaoise, with Barry Walsh also looking likely to hold.

Thomasina Connell may lose her seat in the area, she's trailing Labour's Marie Tuohy and Fianna Fáíl's Naeem Iqbal for the final seat.

Fine Gael will hold its one seat in Graiguecullen/Portarlington - but the focus will be on whether PJ Kelly holds his seat in the area, or if his party colleague, Vivienne Phelan, takes that final spot to become Fine Gael's representation in the area.

Laois Offaly Fine Gael TD and former Justice Minister, Charlie Flanagan, says there are three factors to watch out for as counting continues in Portlaoise:

13.00

Independent Donal Kelly has been eliminated following the fourth count in Portlaoise.

His 258 votes will be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Fianna Fáil's John Joe Fennelly is leading the polls among the remaining candidates, while Independent Tommy Mulligan is trailing him closely.

12.48

Sinn Féin's Helen Campion has been eliminated following the fifth count of the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick area.

Her 441 votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates.

Lorna Holohan-Garry and Maria McCormack are the only Sinn Féin candidates left standing, after Aidan Mullins and Caroline Dwane Stanley were elected yesterday.

12.38

Sinn Féin's Aaron Kelly has been eliminated after the seventh count in the Graiguecullen/Portarlington area.

His 923 votes will be distributed to remaining candidates.

Four candidates are left standing in the area, with three seats up for grabs.

The latest count all but confirms Sinn Féin won't gain an additional seat in Laois, but will retain its existing two.

11.55

Local Returning Officer, Donal Brennan, unlocking the store room as ballots are moved back to the counting area, signalling the start of day three of the Laois Local Elections.

11.40

Good morning from the Portlaoise count centre.

Counting on day three of the Laois Local Elections is due to resume shortly.