BREAKING: Limerick mayoral election candidate Helen O'Donnell thinks tally is 'quite inaccurate'

LIMERICK mayoral candidate Helen O'Donnell says she believes tallying done in the election over the weekend was "quite inaccurate".

The businesswoman trailed former secretary general at the Department of Finance John Moran according to tallies carried out on Saturday.

The gap was around eight percentage points between her and Mr Moran.

READ MORE: Limerick hospital doctor, farmer and mum-of-six dies at 98

However, arriving at Limerick Racecourse this lunchtime, she said: "The tally I think was quite inaccurate. I understand there were a number of boxes not tallied. But this is democracy in action. I've every confidence in these counters this is the real tally, the final vote count."

Asked why she thought there was inaccuracies, she mentioned chatting to returning officer Caroline Curley, who, she said, referred to 80,000 votes being in this election.

"The tally votes were 71,000, so there is a 9,000 differential there. Also, there were people inexperienced with tallying because everybody was looking at the local election. Pundits and experienced political people were focused on the local election on the first day. So that left a number of inaccuracies," she said.

A first count is expected later this afternoon.

"That will tell a tale," said Ms O'Donnell. "And then there will be preferences. We've always said from the get-go, this will be won and lost on preferences."

"So I am just hoping all the canvassing we did, all the amazing people throughout the county and city will come back to us as preferences," she said.

A number of the other mayoral candidates are also present at the election count, which is taking place on the top floor of the Limerick Racecourse.

"I respect the number of people who are here, the number of counters, the counting staff. I just wanted to be part of it. I love being here . This is democracy. Whatever the result, it is very important people vote, and people know the value of the vote  but also the value of transfers which will actually elect our mayor on this very significant occasion for Limerick," said Ms O'Donnell.

She says it's her wish we have a result today in the mayoral election.

But, "It could go on."

"It depends on how many they eliminate after the first count. If it's one, or if it's a number of lower candidates. That's all a mathematical equation. We'll have to wait and see," she concluded.