Laois Fianna Fáil councillor retains seat in Portarlington Graiguecullen district
'Double job' during campaign for Cathaoirleach Paschal McEvoy
The outgoing Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council has held on to his seat for his third consecutive election.
Cllr Paschal McEvoy, a Timahoe man living in Stradbally, got over the line on the fifth count at the same time as Cllr Ben Brennan, both on the very same number of votes 1,666, in their district of Graiguecullen Portarlington.
He spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live moments after the victory celebrations.
"It's great, it's my fourth election and my third term. I got 1420 first preferences last time and 1402 this time so very little in the difference," he said.
He puts his success down to "hard work".
"For the last 12 weeks I've been out canvassing. Being the Cathaoirleach was a double job, it was a bonus but I wasn't able to canvass some nights," he said.
He is happy that Fianna Fáil is going into the next term with six seats in Laois.
"I want to thank my wife Mary, my son Eoin and his partner Aoife, and Michael Costello our director of elections, and all my family. It's a job worth doing," he said.
Looking ahead to the next five year term, he said "you can't plan ahead. I'll take it one day at a time and give it my best shot," Cllr McEvoy said.