Líadh Ní Riada eliminated as Sinn Féin withdraws request for full recount in Ireland South

Tuesday, 4 June 2019 18:44

Sinn Féin has withdrawn its request for a full recount of ballot papers in the European election constituency of Ireland South.

It means outgoing MEP Líadh Ní Riada has been eliminated from the race.

The party called for a full recount after only 326 votes separated Ní Riada and the Green Party's Grace O'Sullivan but in the past half an hour Sinn Féin withdrew its request.

Over 750,000 ballot papers were expected to be recounted in the coming days however count staff will now continue distribute Líadh Ní Riada's votes as the battle for the fourth seat continues.

Fine Gael's Seán Kelly and Fianna Fáil's Billy Kelleher have already been deemed elected while Independents4Change candidate Mick Wallace is on course to take the third seat.

It'll be a dog fight between Fine Gael's Deirdre Clune and Grace O'Sullivan of the Green Party for the fourth seat as the fifth and final seat, dubbed the 'cold-storage Brexit seat', will not be operational until after Brexit.

It's now a game of transfers once again and speaking to RedFM News today Grace O'Sullivan on the Green Party says the count in the Ireland South constituency has been very democratic for all candidates and has raised awareness:

[CLIP]