Letterkenny Aontú candidate Mary T Sweeney didn’t make it over the line in the 2024 elections, but she left the centre knowing that she gave it her all.
Sweeney and Independent candidate Kevin Bradley both requested recounts at the eleventh count and the shifting sands eventually put Sweeney ahead.
Believing in democracy, Sweeney said: “I knew it was on my side, the instinct was right, I have a couple of very experienced people on my team, they are in politics a long time.
“Huge responsibility comes with representing people in a political capacity and the truth is, the people that voted, they trust me to take on the difficult challenges. If that means me having to call a recount, then we do it.”
Sweeney adds that the issue of spoiled votes must be addressed, claiming that votes for other candidates were incorrectly distributed across the parties.
“In today’s age of technology, why is there not a small TV screen showing people how to vote, mark a paper 1, 2, 3?#8221;
The seventh seat was won by Fianna Fáil’s Donal Coyle but Sweeney’s strong performance in the polls gives her confidence that Aontú is making its mark.
“What I have proved here today is that the support is out there for Aontú, we are a force to be reckoned with and I think we are respected by the parties and the people in this room today and in the community,” she said.
Mary T Sweeney and her supporters after the Letterkenny elections