ALL CHANGE ON NEW LOCAL AUTHORITY

On the completion of the count for the six local electoral areas of the new Limerick City and County Council on Monday afternoon, the political landscape in the county had dramatically changed. The two main Government parties were on the receiving end of a big backlash from the voters of Limerick city and county. The main winners were Sinn Féin who increased their representation locally from one to six seats after impressively winning a seat in each area. The decline of Fianna Fail has been arrested and there are signs that the electorate are slowly forgiving the Soldiers of Destiny. They will now form the biggest block on the new council with 13 members. Other winners were the Anti Austerity Alliance who up until the votes were counted had no elected representative locally and now have three. Fine Gael with 12 seats and Labour with three were the big losers in Friday’s poll. Among the talking points were the stunning poll topping performances of outgoing Cllr. Brigid Teefy in Cappamore-Kilmallock and newcomer Emmet O’Brien in Adare-Rathkeale. Minds of the newly elected councillors will now focus on control of the Council and what parties will control the new authority for the next five years. See full election coverage on pages 34 – 40.