Full recount to take place in Birr Electoral Area today after very close finish after final count

A FULL recount in the Birr Electoral Area requested by the Social Democrats will begin at 2pm today.

The party's councillor Clare Claffey was 27 votes behind Sinn Fein's Sean Maher on the 12th count and if the result had stood, Maher and Fianna Fail's candidate Audrey Hennessy Kennedy would have taken the last two seats on Offaly County Council.

Claffey had finished on 1,256 votes and Maher was on 1,283. Audrey Hennessy Kennedy had reached 1,573.

Four seats have been filled in the Birr Area with Peter Ormond, John Foley, John Clendennen and Hugh Egan all having been elected. 

Claffey was over 300 votes behind Maher after the first count but she was very transfer friendly and closed the gap to just 27 votes after the final count.

There have been issues with the Birr count with Barbara Daly raising questions over the number of blank votes while the count was halted on Sunday night after a package of votes were found in the wrong place.Details of the 12th count

Birr Electoral Area Count 12

Distribution of Hugh Egan's surplus of 165 votes

Quota 1,712

Six seats: four already filled -

Peter Ormond – FF – 1,943 (elected)

John Leahy – Ind - 1,815 (elected)

John Clendennen – FG – 1,781 (elected)

Hugh Egan FG – 1,877 (elected)

Audrey Hennessy Kennedy – FF – 1,507 + 66 Total: 1,573

Sean Maher – SF – 1,265 + 18 Total: 1,283

Clare Claffey – SD - 1,175 + 81 Total: 1,256