Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
FINE GAEL TD Kate O’Connell has failed to secure a nomination from her party to run in the Seanad election, but Catherine Noone has been given the nod.
Fine Gael’s national executive met last night to finalise its list of what are dubbed as “inside” nominations, selecting 13 nominees.
An “inside” nomination requires the backing of four TDs or Senators, as explained here in TheJournal.ie’s guide to the Seanad elections.
While there had been speculation after the election that some ministers would look to the Seanad for a seat, Regina Doherty, Catherine Byrne and Mary Mitchell O’Connor have ruled themselves out of the contest.
10 Fine Gael women have received nominations.
Looking at inside nominations, they include Aisling Dolan, Sharon Tolan and Emer Currie.
Those who received outside nominations include Gab McFadden, Mary Newman Julian, Maria Byrne, Emma Blain, Áine Collins, Catherine Noone and Linda O’Shea Farren.
The Seanad election takes place on 30 March.
There are 60 senator seats up for grabs. The Taoiseach gets to nominate 11 senators. while 43 are voted on by incoming/sitting TDs, outgoing senators, and councillors.
NUI and University of Dublin graduates elect six senators.
Following the fall out of the election, a number of TDs who lost their seats are looking to secure a place in the Seanad.
Three female Fianna Fáil TDs that lost their seats in the last general election have managed to secure nominations for a seat.
Former Fianna Fail TDs for Kildare South, Fiona O’Loughlin, Lisa Chambers of Mayo and Margaret Murphy-O’Mahony of Cork South-West are all vying for a seat.
Fine Gael made its final decision on who is getting a nomination at its party’s Executive Council meeting last night.
These include Tom Neville of Limerick and John McGahon of Louth for the Cultural and Educational Panel.
For the Agricultural Panel, the party has selected Aisling Dolan of Roscommon-Galway and former Michael D’Arcy of Wexford.
Joe O’Reilly of Cavan-Monaghan and Jerry Buttimer of Cork South Central have been nominated for the Labour Panel, as has John Cummins of Waterford.
The nods for the Administrative Panel from the party includes Noel Rock of Dublin North West, Garret Ahearn of Tipperary and Emer Currie of Dublin West.
The Industrial and Commercial Panel nominees from Fine Gael include John Paul O’Shea of Cork North West, Michael Carrigy of Longford-Westmeath, and Sharon Tolan of Louth-Meath East.
Former Fine Gael TDs who lost their seats, chief whip Seán Kyne and Carlow TD Pat Deering, have already received nominations from outside bodies.
Fianna Fáil is yet to finalise its own list.
It is expected that most Fianna Fáil TDs who lost their seats in the recent general election are expected to be nominated.
Former frontbench Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley has already been nominated by the Restaurant Association.
Former TD for Cork East TD Kevin O’Keeffe has also been nominated on the Agricultural Panel.
A number of other former TDs are also expected to get a nomination. These include former TD for Roscommon-Galway Eugene Murphy, as well as former Meath West TD Shane Cassells. Pat Casey in Wicklow is also expected to receive an inside nomination, having lost his seat in the election.
The former Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger is also contesting the Seanad election after losing her seat in Dublin West.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The gravy train keeps on rolling.
@MyBrokenKnees: you don’t think that!
@MyBrokenKnees: you just watch SF if they ever get in power…the gravy rocket.
@MyBrokenKnees: Not Really so, the position is that The Seanad is still there, and for a very good reason I believe, therefore people have to be elected to the Upper House .it would hardly make much sense if 43 outsiders were elected or appointed there. There will be 11 Nominated by the Taoiseach and that is good, provided the Taoiseach does not do as Inda done a appoint a shower from within his own party.
@SFAnkleTapper: If you really think that you are deluded. Sf are not going to be doing the same thing that ffg gangsters have been doing for years. If sf get into power they will get one chance of government and if they carry on like the other 2 the people won’t be long in telling them.
@Derek Poutch: course they are holiday homes in donegal dont build themselves. where do you think the money came for that. the average industrial wage. you’re deluded.
@Derek Poutch: sur hasn’t Jarry Adams at least 3 pensions
@Derek Poutch: well, not exactly. Padraig McLaughlin (SF) lost his Dail set in the 2016 GE. He then became a senator. He regained his seat in the 2020 GE. So, you could say “they’re all at it”, but, of course, you never would say that.
@Chin Feeyin: I am talking about holding them collectively responsible for the decisions they would make if in govt. Personally I don’t agree with Pádraig McLaughlin becoming a senator as I don’t agree with the seanad. As for Jerry Adams having 3 pensions, I don’t agree with that either. The holiday homes ed speaks of I don’t know enough of that situation so I can’t really comment on it. What I am talking about is a govt policy to deliberately favour the rich at the expense of the health system, the homeless, the young people who can’t afford to rent and countless other people in difficult situations. If and when sf get into power and they don’t address these problems then I will be the first to call them out on it.
@Eugene Comaskey: of course he will
It’s a complete waste of time this Seanad
@ed w: your a deluded cr3tin
Delighted. Kate appointed her own sister to a cushy parliamentary job keeping cronyism alive. Glad she lost out. The Seanad shouldn’t be someone failed TD’s go to keep the gravy train running.
@Seán Ó Briain:
She’s also a landlord of about 5 or more ‘properties’. So I’m sure she’ll be grand until the next election, and won’t need to work like us ordinary folk.
@Dean: together with a few pharmacies in the Sandyford/Dundrum area
Cushiest gig on the planet for all of the failed TDs
@David Wool: and people voted too keep it
@smart cat: we voted to keep the senate and what it stands for, not the way people are elected to it
@Jim Buckley Barrett: Yes, that needs a big shakeup , make it more relevant.
If you fail to be elected as a TD you should not be nominated for the Seanad. The people have made it clear they don’t want you representing them.
Snout and trough
Voters rejected these former TD’s and that is how they should remain rejected.
@MollyMsalone: I didn’t know micheal Martin and Leo vardaker lost seats! Which election was that?
This constant sexist reporting does more harm than good. It makes women look inferior. The women who failed at election, did not fail because they were women, but because they failed to convince voters they could do the job.
@Morning Gus: people should be employed on merit for women and men equally and not just in filling minority quate boxs .
@Bobby wilson: Exactly! Any other way is simply lowering standards and introducing discrimination.
The Seanad shouldnt be used for failed or retired TD’s , why hasnt the government reformed the nomination process recommended in the McDowell report .
A dumping ground for failed politicians…..
@Paul Shepherd: Have a look at the embers list and you will see you are wrong, there are some ex TDs but there are a lot of people who are there from outside the party system and thats what its for
The Seanad seems to be a fail safe mechanism for TD/ministers who lose their seats, And get giving a senator job till the next election comes around.
You just cannot get rid of them…
Jobs for the boys, the gravy train rolls on
I see a major supermarket chain are looking for shopping trolley inspectors. Could be suitable for Catherine Byrne. https://www.thejournal.ie/catherine-byrne-stacking-trolleys-drink-wine-beer-2196721-Jul2015/
And for failed TDs who fail to get a Seanad sinecure, there’s a quango boardship for everyone in the audience.*
*Terms and conditions apply. Membership of the FFG cosy circle is essential’
Disgraceful carry on
If u don’t get elected
U don’t get nomination
It’s like the Dail
It needs new faces
It’s a super gravy train overpaid failures
@.Tk mc carthy: if u replace failures at the end with disgraces – you have quite a powerful poem
Strange to see left wing ‘the Seanad is elitist” Ruth Coppinger putting herself forward for a seat. Whatever about breaking promises in power but breaking when not in power must be a new low. Joining the elite.
@GrumpyAulFella: has they say you can beat them join them.!
More proof FF will be straight back to the old tricks of jobs for buddies
They won, you lost. Get over it Kate. Sound familiar?
Delighted, that snout’s been in the trough long enough!
No doubt Catherine Noone will be back in too after her election fiasco.
70/80k for old rope sure God love them.
@Tom’s: €60k plus execs.
@Ken Curran: 68111 actually
I think they can still be appointed as part of the Taoiseach’s 11 nominees.
Every time I see her face I can physically feel my rent rising to unaffordable levels.
Well there is some justice.
Good
Another pro choice politician out the gap, great news
Give the people another referendum, the last 1 was a vote against enda Kenny.
A Family of leeches
FG weren’t going to nominate Kate after what she did to a fellow FG member
Jerry Buttimer of Cork South Central have been nominated for the Labour Panel, ???
Kate o’connell is a horrible individual. I a very glad she lost her Dail seat. Hope she disappears
“For the Agricultural Panel, the party has selected Aisling Dolan of Roscommon-Galway and former Michael D’Arcy of Wexford. ”
I am trying to make sense of the sentence above, copied from the article if anyone can help.
@Rory Stafford: It’s the Agricultural Panel so they probably meant ‘farmer Michael D’Arcy of Wexford’. The alternative sounds worse though.
Socialites everyone of them
Genuine question, which Taoiseach, is it the outgoing, incoming or whoever happens to be a caretaker Taoiseach that nominates the 11?
@thejournal.ie would you consider doing a poll as to if people agree with the prospect of politications who failed to gain public election running for the next Seanad #Seanad
The grave train keep rolling as
1 not one cent of money lent by eu paid back that is 40 billion euro
2 the givt extend national debt by paying interest on this debt created by one mam terms and deal never laid before dail for it approval
4 the givt increase national debt to borrow to buy back bond issued by Kenny fir the p note debt and term of deal with eu unchanged on merger of inbs with anglo
And
Taoiseach block bills laid by td cos of cost to rxvh but no. Money paid back to eu as commission say too much public money also paying Senators on health care who can monitor and supervise ire capacity to repay until 75 per cent paid back
Elected by td we elect to a DAIL dail not even demanding taoiseach they elect to account to dail on our behalf whereabout of this 40 loan
have your say