John Perry may never run again

JUST after midday on Monday afternoon, with the count centre at the Sligo Park Hotel relatively quiet in anticipation of the business end of the count later in the day, John Perry was eliminated from the race at the seventh count.

The former Fine Gael TD – who once held Ministerial office as a junior minister for Small Business – exited the stage after polling just 1,367 first preference votes.

He had spent 19 years in the Dáil as a Fine Gael TD.

It was a bitterly disappointing performance for the now-Independent candidate, who did not appear at the count centre over the weekend.

He ended up going out with a total of 1464 votes.

Just nine years ago, Perry topped the poll and brought in his running mate Tony McLoughlin for his former party.

In a congested field, Perry failed to gain any traction and did little damage of note to his former Fine Gael colleagues, including his former PA Thomas Walsh.

Questions will now arise as to whether Perry’s political career is now at an end.

He sought – and failed to receive - the Fine Gael nomination for the general elections in recent times and it looks as though his time within the party is now over.

He had to go to the High Court to be added to the ticket in 2016 and there was also controversy during this campaign with the decision of Fine Gael HQ to expel both his wife Marie and son Jude from the party after details emerged of their support for Perry as an Independent candidate through social media which the party stated was in direct contradiction to their rules.

However, the decision was quickly rescinded by the party hierarchy which included an intervention by leader, Leo Varadkar.

While it could be the case that the next general election will take place in the not-too-distant future, it remains to be seen whether John Perry will be on a ballot paper in the constituency again.