Libertas leader Declan Ganley lost 3,000 votes in the European Parliament poll after his demand for an investigation into the allocation of ballots embarrassingly backfired. The multi-millionaire businessman delayed counting at the North West constituency for nine hours after alleging that as many as 11,000 of his votes were given to a rival. However, a systematic spot-check of the half a million votes at the count centre in Castlebar, Co Mayo, found that his first preference was 67,638, rather than the 70,638 originally declared.
The multi-millionaire businessman delayed counting at the North West constituency for nine hours after alleging that as many as 11,000 of his votes were given to a rival.
However, a systematic spot-check of the half a million votes at the count centre in Castlebar, Co Mayo, found that his first preference was 67,638, rather than the 70,638 originally declared.
Declan Ganley has conceded that he will not take a seat in the North West constituency and will now 'bow out of political life'. Arriving at the count centre in Castlebar this evening, Mr Ganley said he accepted that people had not given him a mandate to represent them in the European Parliament. He also stated he would play no part in the second Lisbon referendum, saying it remained to be seen whether Libertas as an organisation would be involved. Last night, the Libertas leader had requested a recheck of ballots in the North West amid concerns that some of its votes may have been inadvertently allocated to other candidates. However, that recheck found that Mr Ganley had been awarded 3,000 extra votes in error. The 3,000 votes - for Independent candidate Fiachra O'Luain - were found in the Libertas bundles and Mr O'Luain's first count total has now been revised upwards accordingly. Mr O'Luain said he is now asking gardaí in Castlebar to investigate how his votes ended up in Mr Ganley's bundles.
Arriving at the count centre in Castlebar this evening, Mr Ganley said he accepted that people had not given him a mandate to represent them in the European Parliament.
He also stated he would play no part in the second Lisbon referendum, saying it remained to be seen whether Libertas as an organisation would be involved.
Last night, the Libertas leader had requested a recheck of ballots in the North West amid concerns that some of its votes may have been inadvertently allocated to other candidates.
However, that recheck found that Mr Ganley had been awarded 3,000 extra votes in error.
The 3,000 votes - for Independent candidate Fiachra O'Luain - were found in the Libertas bundles and Mr O'Luain's first count total has now been revised upwards accordingly.
Mr O'Luain said he is now asking gardaí in Castlebar to investigate how his votes ended up in Mr Ganley's bundles.
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
