WICKLOW:AFTER 11 hours of checking of ballot papers in the Wicklow constituency yesterday, "no significant error" was discovered and former minister Dick Roche was eliminated just before 8pm.
Mr Roche was not in the hall to hear his formal elimination. A spokesman said a further challenge, including consideration of a move to the courts, could not be ruled out.
Legal advisers for Fianna Fáil and Mr Roche had spent much of the day examining the 4,135 votes of Mr Roche along with the 4,138 votes of his running mate, Councillor Pat Fitzgerald.
They also considered a range of “questionable” votes which had been tagged with notes.
As the day wore on the recount became increasingly tense. Mr Roche was at one point verbally abused by a woman who said he should concede and go home.
At about 7pm Mr Fitzgerald said he was “absolutely disgusted” with the behaviour of Mr Roche and party headquarters. He said a team of lawyers and senior party activists had arrived with the intention of “doing everything to get Dick elected”. It was, he said, “unfair to the other candidates”.
The announcement by returning officer Patricia Casey of her findings that “no significant error that would affect the order of elimination has been found”. and that she now proposed to proceed with Mr Roche’s elimination. was greeted by sustained cheering.
As counting continued last night Fine Gael were confident of getting their three candidates, Billy Timmins, Andrew Doyle and Simon Harris elected.
Labour Party supporters remained convinced Anne Ferris would take the fourth seat after transfers from fellow Bray resident Mr Roche and fellow Labour candidate Tom Fortune.
Supporters of Independent Stephen Donnelly said they were still expecting him to overtake Sinn Féin’s John Brady to claim the last seat.