LOCAL ELECTION RETURNS from Dublin City Council show Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour pumped thousands of euro into their respective campaigns yet the big winners in May's elections were Sinn Féin and smaller parties whose hard work on the ground proved the deciding factor.

Sinn Féin took 16 seats on Dublin City Council with a total spend of just over €35,000 while Labour and Fine Gael took 16 seats between them with a total spend almost ten times as much at €300,000.

Proving that money does not equate to votes was Fianna Fáil's Paddy Lehane. The highest spender of any candidate, pumping €11,500 into his campaign, he failed to take a seat and finished 14th of 16 candidates in the Cabra/Finglas ward.

Other notable flops included Labour's Pádraigh McLoughlin in the North Inner City, who spent more than €4,300 but polled only 162 votes.

Fine Gael's Ciarán Byrne poured more than €5,400 into his campaign to take one of the nine seats in the Beaumont/Donaghmede ward but limped home very last of the 18 candidates with just 193 votes. His fellow Fine Gael candidate in the ward, Stephanie Regan, also failed in her bid despite spending more than €10,000.

In comparison, Sinn Féin's highest spend came with Ballymun poll-topper Noeleen Reilly, who spent just €3,136 on her campaign. People Before Profit's biggest spender was Tina MacVeigh with €4,582 in the Crumlin/Kimmage ward where she took the third seat behind two Sinn Féin candidates.

Six Independents, one Labour Party, one Fianna Fáil and one United Left candidate have so far failed to file any returns.

Overall spend

Fine Gael candidates were the biggest spenders in the local elections in Dublin City, shelling out more than €174,000 between them.

Labour, who were previously the largest party on the council, spent almost €142,000.

Fianna Fáil's candidates exceeded €102,000 while Sinn Féin and the Greens each spent around €35,000.