TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has announced his 11 nominees  to be appointed to the Seanad. 

His nominees include politicians from the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parties. 

The nominees are:

• Dee Ryan (FF)
• Alison Comyn (FF)
• Anne Rabbitte (FF)
• Lorraine Clifford Lee (FF)
• Imelda Goldsboro (FF)
• Joe Flaherty (FF)
• Evanne Ní Chuilinn (FG)
• Nikki Bradley (FG)
• Manus Boyle (FG)
• Noel O’Donovan (FG)
• Gareth Scahill (FG)

Broadcaster and sports journalist Evanne Ní Chuilinn is a surprise name amongst the ten other Seanad nominees. Speaking upon her appointment, Ní Chuilinn said that becoming a Fine Gael senator is “an honour”, and will give her an opportunity to advance change on issues affecting Irish life.

“I have enjoyed a varied and exciting career in sports broadcasting for more than two decades – one which I will miss and I am grateful to have had,” she said

“I have never taken for granted the platform my career has afforded me and have been conscious to use my voice in advocating for issues that I’ve had lived experience of.”

Alison Comyn is a former Sky News broadcaster and journalist. She had previously worked on programmes on RTÉ, BBC, and Channel 4. She made an unsuccessful bid for the Dáil in last year’s general election.

Lorraine Clifford Lee also ran unsuccessfully in the general election, having been previously appointed to the Seanad in 2020. 

Other nominees are less unexpected, such as former Disabilities Minister Anne Rabbitte, who lost her seat in the Dáil in a shock result in November. She ran for the Labour panel of the Seanad, but was not elected.

Nikki Bradley is a former senator who was appointed to the Seanad by Simon Harris. She is a disability advocate and motivational speaker. She ran in the general election in Donegal but failed to get a seat. In the aftermath of the election she was forced to apologise for remarks in which she said that the county of Donegal had a “negative attitude”.

Manus Boyle is Fine Gael councillor for Donegal, and Noel O’Donovan is a councillor for West Cork. Gareth Scahill is a Roscommon county councillor. 

Imelda Goldsboro is a Fianna Fáil councillor for Tipperary. She ran unsuccessfully in the general election. Dee Ryan ran in the general election and the Seanad elections unsuccessfully for the party.

Joe Flaherty was a Fianna Fáil TD for Longford-Westmeath in the last Dáil. He was appointed to the Seanad in December.

The Seanad vocational panels have all been filled after counting concluded on Monday.

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. Anne Rabbitte had failed in securing a seat on the vocational Labour panel before her appointment today, and former Independent TD Cathal Berry was also unsuccessful.

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

The final 11 senators announced today make up the final seats in the 60-person Seanad. 

Includes reporting by Emma Hickey