Flash: Council election count complete

10.5.2005

Wednesday, 10 May, 2005

Flash: Council election count complete

By Irish Republican News

Counting is now completed in the North's local elections, and results have confirmed advanced for Sinn Fein and Ian Paisley's DUP.

In Belfast, the collapse in the Ulster Unionist vote enabled the DUP to become the largest grouping with 15 seats to Sinn Fein's 14. However once again, the cross community Alliance Party will hold the balance of power, with its four councillors deciding which party will now hold the post of Mayor.

In Derry, the parties remain as they were, except for one seat captured by the DUP from the UUP. The Sinn Fein Mayor Gearoid O hEara lost a seat to a party colleague as the party's vote management strategy worked against him.

Overall, Sinn Fein extended its lead over the SDLP, with 23.2% of the vote, up 2.7 percentage points and winning seats for 126 councillors, a rise of 18. The party broke new ground in Coleraine, Ballymena and Banbridge.

There were also strong performances in Strabane and Magherafelt where Sinn Fein was one seat away from overall control and in Moyle [County Antrim] where the party's team rose from one to four seats.

The SDLP's vote slipped by 1.9% to 17.4%, and the party returned 101 councillors, down 16.

The DUP's vote to rose to 29.6%, up 8.2%. The Paisleyites won 52 seats, 40 from the Ulster Unionist Party, whose vote declined from 23.2% to 18%. The remainder came at the expense of smaller unionist parties and independent candidates.

The DUP won control of two councils for the first time. They gained 12 seats out of 23 in Ards Borough Council and also have 13 councillors of 23 in Castlereagh.

In a breakthrough for the Green Party, the environmentalists have gained three seats in the election -- all in County Down -- and are now aiming for a seat in the Belfast Assembly should an election be called.

Eamonn McCann's SEA and a number of independent republicans failed to win seats.

In Fermanagh the gender balance of the council was among the notable changes. Six women were elected compared to the previous tally of one.

Speaking from the Belfast Count Centre this evening, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams thanked all those who had voted for the party.

He pointed out that almost one third of those elected for the party were women, and many of its councillors had been elected for the first time.

"This result is all the more remarkable given the poisonous atmosphere created by the vindictive campaign conducted by our opponents in the other political parties and by sections of the establishment media," he said.

"There is an onus on all of them to accept that the people have spoken and to respect and uphold the rights of all sections of the electorate.

"Sinn Fein is about changing the face of local government. Our councillors, particularly those elected to councils where we have gained representation for the first time, will face the many challenges with courage, determination and integrity.

"They will join with our 126 councillors in the 26 Counties to advance our agenda for change and to build a real alternative.

"Together they will work for equality and to strengthen the powers of Local Government. Among their key priorities are delivering quality services, promoting power-sharing, tackling discrimination and providing civic leadership and strong representation."

The following is the final state of the parties in the council elections: