Laois Electoral area: SF and Independents win big

Joe Barrett in Portlaoise

May 25 2014 02:48 PM

SIMILIAR to the trends across the country Sinn Féin and Independents were the big winners in Laois.

The Fine Gael vote in Laois fell by over 8% compared to the last local election in 2009. Fianna Fáil saw a marginal drop of 0.6%, Sinn Féin increased its vote by 4.5%, Labour dropped by 1% while the Independents gained 6.91%.

Sinn Féin increased its representation in the reduced county council to two seats when voters returned the present Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley’s wife, Caroline Dwane Stanley in the Portlaoise district and poll topper in the Graiguecullen/Portarlington district Aidan Mullin.

Fine Gael’s Willie Aird topped the Portlaoise poll for a third consecutive local council election, while Fianna Fail’s John Joe Fennelly also exceeded the quota in the Portlaoise district.

With this council reducing from 25 seats to 19 and two Fine Gael vote getters retiring it now look like the two Sinn Féin candidates and the expected three Independents, former Fianna Fáil councillor Brendan Phelan, Ben Brennan and James Kelly will decide the make up of the next council in Laois.