Maria Walsh opens up gap on Peter Casey in election joust

MAYO Fine Gael candidate Maria Walsh has made a decisive move in her bid to be elected a MEP at her first attempt.

In fourth position in the four-seat battle in the Midlands North West constituency, she has opened up a gap of 12,688 between herself and high-profile independent candidate Peter Casey in fifth place.

The margin increased by 4,838 in the second count as a result of 6,036 transfers she received from the surplus of her elected party colleague, Mairead McGuinness.

Walsh, a former Rose of Tralee from Shrule, now stands on 70,536 behind Luke Ming Flanagan (Ind.) and Matt Carthy (SF).

Achill's Green Party candidate Saoirse McHugh remains in contention for the fourth seat.