All constituency boxes open with Dooley and Harty leading the race

ALL 147 ballot boxes in the Clare constituency for General Election 2016 have been opened at the Fall’s Hotel, Ennistymon.

By early afternoon after all the boxes were opened tally figures show a strong lead for Fianna Fáil’s Timmy Dooley with 10,059 votes.

First time candidate Independent Dr Michael Harty is coming in strong on 8,454, Fine Gael TD Pat Breen 6576, Fine Gael TD Joe Carey on 5,940, Fianna Fáil’s Michael ‘Malty’ McDonagh is on 4,750, Labour TD Michael McNamara 4,394, Sinn Féin’s Noeleen Moran 4,095, Fianna Fáil’s Clare Colleran Molloy 2,729.

Independent Ann Norton 2,202, Fine Gael’s Mary Howard, 2058, Independent Ian Lynch, 1465, Green Party’s Fergal Smith, 1666, Fís Nua’s Niamh O’Brien, 1113 and both Independent Dermot Mulqueen and Independent André Sibo Hakizimana on 63 votes.

Jessica Quinn