MacManus loses EU seat; Chambers makes gains but will it be enough?

Lisa Chambers has received a transfer of 9,016 votes following the elimination of Fianna Fáil colleague Niall Blaney from the Midlands North West European Parliament election.

However, it may not be enough for the Castlebar senator to take the fifth and final seat in the constituency.

The first four seats look secure as it stands. With 106,461 votes, Independent incumbent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan may yet surpass the quota of 113,325. Fine Gael pair Maria Walsh from Shrule and former jockey Nina Carberry look safely over the line with 84,935 and 86,298 votes respectively while Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen is narrowly ahead of Walsh with 84,965 votes.

Former broadcaster and Independent Ireland candidate Ciaran Mullooly is in fifth place and is 12,000 votes clear of Chambers with 71,933 to Chambers’ 59,644.

Peadar Tobin of Aontú may be the next candidate eliminated should Michelle Gildernew transfer strongly from her Sinn Féin Chris MacManus who was just excluded and therefore, has lost his seat.

The next count will be count number 18, in what has been a marathon effort since last Sunday morning to count votes from a total poll of 700,700 voters in this vast constituency.