Sinn Féin bucked the national trend and doubled its representation on Meath County Council while Aontú, formed following local TD Peadar Tóibín’s split from the party, had a second councillor elected to the 40-seat local authority.

Overall, Fine Gael took 11 seats (down one on 2019′s total), Fianna Fáil won nine (down three), and Sinn Féin finished with six councillors (up three). Eleven Independents were elected to the council (no change) and the Social Democrats held on to a seat while Labour lost out and is no longer represented here.

Sinn Féin’s gains came via two seats in the Kells electoral area, where Michael Gallagher and Peter Caffrey were elected on the 10th count, and in Ratoath via Fionnan Blake.

In the Navan electoral area, Aontú's Emer Tóibín, Mr Tóibín’s sister, and Sinn Féin’s Eddie Fennessy were returned on the first count. It was not until the 12th count that Independent Francis Deane took the next seat. Then, following a recount, Linda Nelson Murray (FG), Alan Lawes (Ind), Pádraig Fitzsimons (FF) and Yemi Adenuga (FG) were elected without reaching the quota. The man to miss out was council Cathaoirleach Tommy Reilly, who lost his seat after 25 years.

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Aontú's second seat came in the Trim electoral area via David Boyne. Independent Noel French topped the poll here with a massive 3,963 first preferences, more than 2,000 above the quota. Fine Gael’s Joe Fox was also elected on the first count. Ronan Moore of the Social Democrats was reelected on the eighth count, along with Fianna Fáil duo Padraig Coffey and Aisling Dempsey.

Labour lost its only seat in the county when Elaine McGinty was not returned in Laytown-Bettystown. Fine Gael’s Sharon Tolan topped the poll in this area, with party colleague Paddy Meade elected on the sixth count. Fianna Fáil took seats via Stephen McKee and Wayne Harding, while Independents Carol Lennon and Geraldine Keogan were also elected.

Independent Joe Bonner topped the poll in Ashbourne and was elected on the first count, with Amanda Smith coming in on the second count. Fine Gael’s Alan Tobin and Suzanne Jamal, Fianna Fáil’s Conor Tormey and Sinn Féin’s Helen Meyer took the remaining seats.

Ashbourne: 6 seats

Kells: 7 seats

Laytown – Bettystown: 7 seats

Navan: 7 seats

Ratoath: 7 seats

Trim: 6 seats

[ View 2019 Meath County Council resultsOpens in new window ]

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