A brief but tense standoff erupted at the Portlaoise count center earlier today, centered on the public display of election tallies. It appears the long-standing tradition of Fianna Fáil broadcasting tallies from various boxes on a central monitor has hit a snag this time around.

Traditionally, Fianna Fáil has taken the lead in making election results easily accessible to the public. They’ve consistently displayed the tallies on a computer monitor, allowing everyone present – journalists, candidates’ representatives, and the general public – to follow the count in real-time.

However, a new agreement for this election called for a cooperative approach. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, for the first time ever, agreed to combine their tallies, potentially streamlining the reporting process.

However, during the broadcast of the combined tallies, a request from the Fianna Fáil side threw a wrench into the works. They asked for the monitor to be switched off, much to the surprise of their Fine Gael counterparts. This unexpected request caused a brief stalemate in the count center.

The situation remained tense for a period, with both sides seemingly unwilling to budge. Eventually, however, a compromise was reached, and the monitor went blank. Calm was restored, and the working relationship between the two parties returned to its anticipated collaborative mode.