Harding the only sitting councillor to be elected

ALMOST ALL-CHANGE IN LAYTOWN/BETTYSTOWN

IT IS almost a case of all change in the new Laytown/ district of Meath County Council with only one former councillor returning to office this week.

Wayne Harding of Fianna Fail is the only survivor, while the only other councillor to seek election, Eoin Holmes, paid the price of the Labour slump, eliminated on 722 votes.

Once again it was celebration time for Sinn Fein as they earned a seat in the area for the first time after a very strong showing from Eimear Ferguson, who came in over 500 votes above the quota.

Wayne Harding also made it on that first count, 200 votes shy of the Julianstown woman.

Next home was the pretty remarkable Sharon Keogan who was a whisker away from taking seats here and in Ashbourne. She had to settle for her base area, polling 1,150 first preferences votes and assured of her seat from early on.

The Fianna Fail strategy was to bring three home, hoping Stephen McKee and Patricia Heritage would follow Wayne Harding.

The plan almost worked, as the popular McKee got in without making the quota late on, but Heritage just shy of the seventh seat.

Fine Gael will be delighted to have picked up two, given the national circumstances and trends. Sharon Tolan has worked hard in the Laytown Bettystown area and it showed as she was fourth home. Just behind her was Paddy Meade, another first timer who is building a solid reputation for himself.

The man who came back after missing out last time, Tom Kelly, returned as an independent voice, making that two independents around the table, along with two FG, two FF and one Sinn Fein.