A row has broken out in Kerry about just where the general election count is to be held – even before the polling date has been fixed.
Sports arenas were not suitable to act as election count centres and alternative venues, such as hotels where hot food was on hand, were preferable, a meeting of Kerry County Council has been told.
Kerry is now a single constituency, meaning there will be one – not two – count centres.
Tralee representatives say the count should be held in their town, the county capital.
However, the county registrar, Pádraig Burke, said Tralee’s status would not be the chief consideration.
In a response to councillors’ questions, Mr Burke, who is in charge of organising general and European elections, said he was assessing a number of possible venues, pointing out that there were just a few suitable for such a large count.
“We are a county constituency now and any place suitable will be considered. Access, parking as well as catering are considerations,” he said.
The Killarney Aura Sports and Leisure Centre, where the last south Kerry counts were held, was “great for swimming” but it was very inadequate as a count centre, said Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae.
The sports and leisure centre, on the Killarney bypass, offered mostly chocolate bars and for a good part of the day in May 2014 there was “no milk for the tea”, he said.
Tralee councillor Pa Daly (Sinn Féin) was among those calling for the general election count to be held in Tralee, as it was the county capital.
Meanwhile, Listowel area councillor Robert Beasley said he was very disappointed that the upcoming recount of ballots on February 10th for its district was being held in the John Mitchels GAA club house in Tralee, the same venue as the original count. A Killarney hotel had offered facilities for free, he said.
“We were disappointed with the Mitchels in 2014. We were disappointed with the separation of votes in Killarney and then having to go to Tralee with the votes. Sandwiches and coffee are not enough . . . To us, the Mitchels was never a success,” Mr Beasley said, urging that a hotel in Listowel be used.
The new count for Listowel comes on foot of an appeal against the council taken by former Fianna Fáil senator Dan Kiely.
