Result of Laois-Offaly recount expected shortly

The recount in the Laois-Offaly constituency has been completed and a result is expected shortly.

Staff at the count centre in Tullamore have been checking through bundles since the recheck was requested by Fine Gael Councillor Liam Quinn yesterday evening.

Only 26 votes separate Liam Quinn and outgoing Fianna Fáil TD John Moloney - the pair are the two lowest-placed candidates at present.

Elsewhere, in Wicklow a recheck of the spoiled votes has been completed, and a recount is underway.

It's understood a Returning Officer from a Dublin constituency has been brought in in an advisory capacity.

The concern is about the numbers of votes separating Fianna Fáil's Dick Roche from his party colleague Pat Fitzgerald, and queries are being raised about the number of votes declared spoiled.

Counting is also continuing in Galway West - another five-seater - with three seats remaining empty.

So far Fine Gael has won 70 seats, Labour is on 36, Fianna Fáil has 18, Sinn Féin and Independents are on 13 apiece while two seats have gone to both the People Before Profit group and the Socialist Party.