A political drama is unfolding in Cork North Central as outgoing TD Mick Barry fights to retain his seat after Labour’s Eoghan Kenny was initially declared the winner by a razor-thin margin of just 35 votes.
The returning officer, Martin Harvey, has begun a meticulous recount process, examining bundles of 50 votes at a time. Tally keepers suggest that up to 15 individual errors may have been identified in the initial count.
Barry, a veteran socialist campaigner, remains determined. “I’m feeling we have a bit of ground to make up, but if the votes are there to be had, we’ll find them,” he told reporters. The People Before Profit Solidarity (PBPS) representative is challenging the result with hopes of keeping his Dáil seat.
According to The Journal, the recount could take up to two or three days, with both Barry and Kenny’s first preference votes being carefully scrutinized. At 24, Kenny would be one of the youngest TDs if the current result stands, bringing his background as a local teacher and community worker to the national stage.
Four candidates have already been elected in Cork North Central: Padraig O’Sullivan, Thomas Gould, Ken O’Flynn, and Colm Burke. Barry’s potential retention would add another voice to the political landscape, with the TD calling for a strong left-wing opposition.
As tensions mount, election observers and supporters await the final determination in this closely contested race.