LAST UPDATE | 3 Feb 2025

ALL SEATS ON the Seanad vocational panels havenow been filled and counting has concluded after five days.

Some TDs who failed to get elected in last year’s general election managed to win a seat in the Seanad, while others missed out. The losers include former junior minister Anne Rabbitte (FF) and former Independent TD Cathal Berry.

Meanwhile, former Sinn Féin TDs Pauline Tully and Chris Andrews, as well as former Green Party TD Malcolm Noonan won Seanad seats.

The five vocational panels comprise 43 of the Seanad’s 60 seats. 

There are 118 candidates seeking election to the panels.

The final 11 senators to make up the next Seanad will be announced by the Taoiseach of the next government, Micheál Martin.

The Cultural and Educational panel has elected its five senators: Pauline Tully (SF), Cathal Byrne (FG), Shane Curley (FF), Seán Kyne (FG), and Joe Conway (IND).

The Administrative panel now comprises Mark Daly, Fiona O’Loughlin, Diarmuid Wilson (FF), Martin Conway, Garrett Ahearn (FG), Nicole Ryan (SF) and Eileen Flynn (IND).

Flynn is the first Traveller ever elected to the Oireachtas.

All seats of the Industrial and Commercial panel have also been filled. The senators are Sharon Keogan (IND), Frances Black (IND) Aidan Davitt (FF), Mary Fitzpatrick (FF), Ollie Crowe (FF) Garret Kelleher (FG), Linda Nelson Murray (FG) Laura Harmon (LAB) and Conor Murphy (SF).

The Agricultural panel will comprise Eileen Lynch, Paraic Brady, Maria Byrne, PJ Murphy (FG), Paul Daly, Niall Blaney, Teresa Costella (FF), Joanne Collins (SF), Malcolm Noonan (G), Sarah O’Reilly (AON), and Victor Boyhan (IND).

The Labour panel will comprise Robbie Gallagher, Maragret Murphy O’Mahony, Pat Casey (FF), Mark Duffy, Mike Kennelly, Joe O’Reilly (FG), Chris Andrews, Maria McCormack (SF), Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Patricia Stephenson (SD) and Gerard Craughwell (IND).

The final makeup of this term’s Seanad, when vocational panels, university panels and the 11 Taoiseach’s Nominees (six FF and five FG) are put together, is:

• Fianna Fáil 19
• Fine Gael 18
• 6 Sinn Féin
• Labour 2
• Greens 1
• Social Democrats 1
• Aontú 1
• Independents 12

There is no clear indication of when the Taoiseach will announce his nominees, but the Seanad cannot meet until he has done so.