I had no voting pact with other parties

SUGGESTIONS made that a general election voting preference pact existed between me and other parties are not accurate (Irish Examiner, Feb 28).

I am an independent city councillor and ran as an independent candidate in the general election ... fighting for my own No 1 votes was hard enough without contemplating the direction of second or third preferences.

On count night, Simon Coveney (FG) stated on national TV that a pact existed between myself and Sinn Féin while the claim was repeated in the Irish Examiner. Michael McGrath (FF) also stated on radio over the weekend that a significant number of my votes would go to him.

To put the record straight — and this represents the only time I have been afforded a chance to comment — no pact existed. Any requests from electors regarding preferences were dealt with on an individual basis.

I informed anyone who asked as to what I was doing and judged my responses on the basis of each request. I did indicate that I would be giving Chris O’Leary of Sinn Féin my No 2 and put on record my hope for a win for either of us to break a long-established mould in Cork South Central.

Following my elimination on the seventh count, 953 of my votes went to Labour; 667 went to Sinn Féin; 604 went to Fine Gael and 276 went to Fianna Fáil. On the basis of these figures, it could equally be suggested that I had a pact with Labour and Fine Gael, which I did not. The only benefit of any pact for me would have been with other independents.

A cursory look at these figures does not suggest a pact with any grouping in particular and should also, once and for all, put an end to any suggestions of continued links with Fianna Fáil.

Cllr Mick Finn

Friars Walk

Cork