Sinn Féin’s Liadh Ní Riada will not be returning to the European Parliament after the party conceded her seat in the Ireland South constituency to Grace O’Sullivan of the Green Party. Sinn Féin sought a recount last week after Ms O’Sullivan, a Senator from Tramore, Co Waterford, overtook Ms Ní Riada by 326 votes in the race to represent the constituency in the European Parliament. Ms Ní Riada polled 79,072 first preferences to Ms O’Sullivan’s 75,948 but was overtaken by the 18th count due to transfers favouring the Green Party candidate. Independents4Change TD Mick Wallace is expected to take the third seat when Ms Ní Riada’s 98,379 papers are distributed following her elimination. This would leave sitting Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune and Ms O’Sullivan battling it out for the fourth and fifth seats.

Source: The Irish Times June 04, 2019 08:26 UTC