A 20th and final count has been announced in Ennis, but the outcome of the last seat is still in doubt.
A full recount has been announced, after it was sought by Ger O'Halloran (FG) who lost out to Clare Colleran Molloy by three points.
On the announcement of the final count, three candidates were elected without reaching the quota – Mary Howard and Paul Murphy (FG) and Tom McNamara (FF) had not reached the quota, but are among the top candidates after the marathon count. Their seats seem safe, regardless of the outcome of the recount.
In West Clare, three candidates awhile Jackie Dale, Joseph Enright and Kevin Heapes have all been eliminated. Richard Nagle and Bill Slattery look set to retain their seats, though just 403 votes separate Michael Hillery (1427), PJ Kelly (1395), Ian Lynch (1349), Olier Garry (1236), Bill Chambers (1132), Noeleen Moran (1117), Gerard Kennedy (1041), Patrick Keane (1024) and Gabriel Keating (988). Marian McMahon Jones rounds off the field on 662.
In Shannon, an earlier recount for Labour's Pascal Fitzgerald did not see a reversal of his loss to David Houlihan. The Anti-Austerity Alliance candidate has been eliminated in the most recent count, however. Here, only Cathal Crowe has exceeded the quota though Fine Gael's John Crowe coul join him shortly.
