The surplus votes of Cllr Eddie Hoare have edged Cllr Frank Fahy to within 57 votes of crossing the line and retaining his seat in City Central.

As the fourth round of counting gets underway, Dara O’Flaherty (Ind) and Patrick Feeney (Ind) have been eliminated and their 51 and 13 votes respectively will be distributed.

Fianna Fáil’s Josie Forde is currently in line to take the fourth seat after Cllr Fahy is deemed elected, while Labour’s John McDonagh (726), Social Democrats’ Eibhlín Seoighthe (617) and Sinn Féin’s Mark Lohan (545) remain in contention for the final two seats.

Sitting Green Party Councillor Martina O’Connor is on course to lose her seat, and currently sits on 357 votes.

Meanwhile, there is to be a full recount  n City East, following a request from the Cllr Mike Crowe (FF) camp.

The sitting councillor is set to lose his seat and was behind FG candidate Shane Forde by 16 votes before the recount was called.

“I don’t know,” said Returning Officer Gary McMahon, when asked how long it will take, but an estimate of 5pm “at the earliest” was given.

The count for City Central continues, with the fourth count ongoing.

Mr McMahon confirmed that the count for City West will not commence until either City Central or the full recount of City East has concluded.

Caption: Frank Fahy in conversation with Mike Cubbard during the count.

Galway City Central

Electorate: 18,206

Total poll: 7,733

Spoiled votes: 137

Total valid poll: 7,606

Quota: 1,087

Third count

Distribution of Hoare’s surplus

Fahy, Frank (FG) (+91) 1,036

Forde, Josie (FF) (+43) 848

McDonagh, John (Lab) (+16) 726

Seoighthe, Eibhlín (SD) (+10) 617

Lohan, Mark (SF) (+4) 545

O’Connor, Martina (GP) (+14) 357

Curran, Adrian (PBP/S) (+3) 330

Lenihan, Pádraig (Aon) (+7) 328

D’Arcy, Margaretta (Ind) (+3) 194

Cummins, Mary (IFP) (+1) 182

Ridge, Shauna (Ind Irl) (+1) 115

Comer, Sean (TIP) (+2) 90

O’Flaherty, Dara (Ind) (+0) 51 ELIM

Feeney, Patrick (Ind) (+0) 13 ELIM