We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
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.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has filled his 11 Seanad positions today.
A number of Fine Gael TDs who failed to win a seat in the Dáil have been picked for the Upper House.
While the Seanad elections filled 49 seats already, the Taoiseach enjoys a privilege of filling the remaining 11 seats.
However, Micheál Martin had a hand in choosing three of the new senators according to members of his party.
Those three senators are Joan Freeman, Colette Kelleher and Pádraig Ó Céidigh.
Here’s the full list of the chosen ones.
1. Fine Gael’s James Reilly
The former Health and Children’s Minister, Dr James Reilly lost his seat in Dublin Fingal after being defeated by Sinn Féin in the battle for the fifth Dáil place.
Following his defeat, the Fine Gael deputy leader said he would consider his future role in the party and in politics.
However, Kenny has given him the nod.
2. Fine Gael’s Michelle Mulherin
The former Mayo TD comes from Taoiseach’s very own county but lost her seat to Fianna Fáil’s Lisa Chambers.
While it was expected to go down to the wire between the two, Chambers easily won out – with over 2,000 votes between them (11,686 to 9,593).
3. Fine Gael’s Paudie Coffey
Former Fine Gael Minister of State Paudie Coffey who lost his Dáil seat in the last election.
4. Marie-Louise O’Donnell
Marie-Louise O’Donnell is well-known to be a close friend of Enda Kenny and a fellow Mayo woman.
O’Donnell is an Irish broadcaster and has already been nominated by an Taoiseach to serve in the Seanad.
5. Joan Freeman
Freeman is the founder of the suicide awareness and support charity Pieta House.
6. Fine Gael’s Ray Butler
Ray Butler was elected as a TD for the Meath West constituency at the 2011 general election but lost his seat this year.
7. Fine Gael’s Frank Feighan
Feighan is a former and Dáil deputy – He served as a TD for Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency from 2007 to 2016.
8. Fine Gael’s John O’Mahony
O’Mahony is a former TD for the Mayo constituency. He was elected in 2007 but lost his seat this year.
9. Billy Lawless
Lawless is an advocate for Irish immigrants in the United States.
10. Colette Kelleher
Kelleher is the CEO of Alzheimer’s Ireland.
11. Pádraig Ó Céidigh
Ó Céidigh is a businessman and the founder of of Aer Arann Express and of Aer Lingus Regional.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Jobs for the boys……..and the wheel of fortunes keeps turning…….they must really have a good laugh at us.
Red thumb away but there are some excellent additions there.
Joan Freeman is basically a saint and will give an important voice to Mental Health issues.
Padraig O’Ceadigh will bring CEO experience. Billy Lawless has done incredible work in the US on the status of Irish illegal immigrants. Don’t know much about Colette Kelleher, to be honest.
They are John and their number one priority is to get Paddy back in line.
Brinster those you’ve mentioned are worthy appointees but there are too many of the other kind in that bunch.
Whatever happened to Maria Cahill ?
Have to agree with Brinster here…too many people quick to throw in their current zero cents worth as they are too full of cliches and have have too few seconds in the day to actually think something through. If we don’t free ourselves and judge each situation at real face value this country will never be stable again.
She was election fodder
Ah Gavin come on. 6 of the 11 are failed election candidates. That’s not right.
Zero cents worth?? I have every bloody right to throw my opinion in as I voted in the last election Gavin, and it was not to see this shower, with the village idiot in charge.
While there might be some good eggs in that basket, you’d want to be pretty naive to think they were chosen ‘par hazard’. Kenny will make sure they are on a short leash and let them bark just enough to seem as they are trying to make a difference.
Fine. You voted. We all did. Look what we have. We have exactly what the people wanted if you look at the holistic nature of elections. Might not be what you like, but maybe more people will share your wishes next time around.
…I want Enda/Edna out is not a valid vote either, the last time I checked.
Can’t believe Kenny didn’t appoint The Good Republican Slab to the Seanad.
They could be the best candidates going who have the country’s best interests at heart – it still won’t make them democratically elected and for that reason they don’t deserve to have any role in the governance of our country.
Blueshirt nepotism
Oh how haven’t we had a revolution yet is beyond me.
Oh how haven’t we had a revolution yet is beyond me.
Well we did have a chance to get rid of of it what did we de people decide to keep the place. Great to see reilly getting another few crumbs
Both Gavin & Brinster of course referenced the 4 non FG politicos that were returned.Perhaps the conversation is about the other 7. 5 years Enda was beholden to Labour – this time he had free reign and used it as expected – exposing the weak gene pool again.
Either way – Enda kept his word and gave the people a say in abolition and we chose to keep it. There was no reform on the table. There will be no reform in any meaningful way on the table. That’s the bottom line – suck it up.
Mairia was merely cannon fodder as suggested. Parachuted in with a story to tell. No longer needed. The civil war parties have kissed and made up. First date but it is happening.
Jobs for the failures. Not talking about the 3 or 4 at the bottom of the list. But the o Reilly’s and mulheirn, Coffey. Etc. Some much for new politics , same old cronyism alive and well.
Out lived her usefulness
But they were nominated f by Michael Martin Kenny gave his last three pieces of silver to FF to stay in powe what a joke
She was Joans Girl
Who would have thought. Every person in the Country knew if Lenny got a chance he would put his heavies in. Why not let every party pick someone ? Ah no Enda couldn’t risk that.
Brinster. You are deluded.
Kenny not Levies.
Kenny cost these losers their plum jobs, now he gives them €100,000 plus soft jobs, SHAMEFUL HANG YOUR HEAD KENNY, neck like an elephants skin
Somebody should keep an eye on Michelle Mulherins phone bill, while she’s there. Late night calls to Kenya aren’t cheap you know.
Mulherin said the calls, made between 2011 and 2013, were work-related.
Weren’t they to her boyfriend who was living there or something?
What sort of work Michelle?
She So Forni !
http://www.thejournal.ie/td-fornication-most-likely-cause-of-unwanted-pregnancies-422895-Apr2012/
Yeah, sure they don’t have e-mail in Kenya.
It’s mad when you look at articles like that one from 2012…You have to wonder are any still alive? What would they think of Ireland today?…Spooky..
Then why did she pay for them if they were work related to her “friend”
I think she was giving high-level advice to a foreign diplomats brother on how to get millions of dollars out of the African country that had been taken over.
Enda looked after Mayo and Meath again
There’s a right few dodgy fockers in that line up
Democracy is great isn’t it ….
Sure isn’t it grand.
I dunno… I haven’t seen it in action yet.
Reforms will never happen, this system benefits FG/FF/L and SF won’t change it either.
Yep, the Irish public had the option to democratically abolish the Seanad but they democratically chose to preserve the golden circle.
Who actually voted to keep this kip?
Ahhh the pitfalls of democracy. Isn’t it bizarre how people would vote against the system of governance that gives them a say in the first place.
I think democracy is one of the best ideas humans have ever had, and when we had the chance to reform our own governance we ballsed it up. Can’t really complain either, because this is what the majority wanted.
Democracy is a cruel mistress indeed.
As Enda Kenny knew they would – which is what he really wanted but was committed to holding the referendum which he did.
Not me
Jobs for the boys as usual,a good few more familiar snouts back in the trough
Absolutely disgusting he elected Michelle Mulherin. her nigerian prince will be delighted as she can now ring him to her hearts content using the seanad phones instead of Dail phones. Absolutely disgusting Kenny you fcuking crawling bottom scraping pr!ck
Her Kenyan prince will be pretty put out that’s she’s got a Nigerian one on the side….
She likes all African men equally….
And perhaps simultaneously …
All that I can say is Same old same old cr*p
Enda holds the door open to a plush little club for his favourites while showing a very pronounced middle finger to the public..
Just shows what he thinks of the people he is meant to represent, when he picks former TDs that lost their seats in the election, so much for democracy it’s only an illusion in this country. Y bother having elections at all in this dictatorship
I thought Frank Feighan was retiring from politics??
I thought the pr1ck should’ve been locked up for assault…instead gets rewarded…corrupt to the core.
FINE GAEL TD for Roscommon/South Leitrim Frank Feighan has announced he will not be contesting the general election.
He said the decision was personal and the party did not put pressure on him to not run in the Roscommon/Galway constituency this time around.
Feighan came under fire from constituents when he voted in favour of replacing Roscommon A&E with an urgent care unit and an out-of-hours GP service. His colleague Denis Naughten lost the party whip for voting against Fine Gael on the issue.
Frank “slugger” Feighan gets rewarded for his treachery towards the people who elected him, a prime example if a FG turncoat!
Frank Feighan has retired from politics – he has gone into the Seanád.
Its more of politics retiring Feighan, not a rats ass in hell chance of anyone voting for him and he knew it!
This selection shows Kenny doe sent trust the TDs and wants these FG nominees to watch his back. Can’t see him last 12 months
Even if we were to accept that Kenny was going to install his own people, what is really disheartening is the complete lack of quality of the people he has chosen. Mulherin? Jesus wept.
And Nigeria rejoiced
Feighan! The man who lied to his whole constituency and didn’t have the honour to step away from FG as others did.
Hey Michelle, did you pay your phone bills to Kenya yet? No we haven’t forgotten all about it.
Yes – she did
If an MP in the UK did the same it would have been an immediate resigning matter….but this is Ireland, where the Brinster’s of this country turn a blind eye upwards and cast a snotty gaze downwards on the masses.
If that happened in the UK you’d be history.
What a joke of a country
Why, Why, Why, when the people of Ireland reject politicians at the ballot box Enda Kenny gives them a job. I’m so Mad, Mad, Mad. We are fools.
It’s disgusting what these parasites, these spongers, can get away with. Failed politicians, but loyal cronies of Enda, whose snouts are put back in the trough so they can watch his back.
50% are Electoral rejects. Voters don’t want them but Kenny foists them on us. Some new politics! Cronyism , and nepotism persists. The Senate’s an expensive joke!
I don’t want to hear one bit of moaning or fake outrage from those that voted to retain the Seanad….you had your chance!
Well…most people believed David Norris when he said we should keep it and he would push for proper reform……..then after it’s saved, he turns around and calls all on welfare a bunch of drunks….while he sips cheap subsidised drinks in the Dáil bar.
David should realise…he’s on a different kind of welfare(in fact he claimed disability allowance for 16 years while a Senator) and really shouldn’t be drinking on the job.
So much for change!
Reg… you and your crony loving lot would love full unadulterated power. The people voted for reform, a notion that is alien to the likes of your boys.
I think most people voted to keep it because they knew Enda wanted it scrapped. It was a “cut off your noise to spite your face” job.
Probably right Ted. Stupidity of the people rather than a cute move by FG & their advisors
…. or even “cut off your nose” Doh!
great to see Joan Freeman in there, finally we might see a really good spokesperson in the senate for mental health
Yes it was good to see Joan Freeman appointed by its just tokenism, unless mental is prioritised and funded nothing is going to happen and Joan Freeman is powerless to get the Minister for Health to stop cutting funding on mental health and diverting it to areas like of ED etc. and have no doubt nothing is going to happen funding wise.
We had chance to close the secondary trough and Ends conned the nation again and said he wanted it gone. Of course we fell hook line and sinker and voted against him. .. We’ll never learn..
Ray Butler……a fuppin joke
Large telephone bills from the Seanad offices on there way, what’s the dialling code for Kenya again?
RMcG . .heavy breathing in the Seanad now …. once touched by black ….. you can’t get your breath back.
All the political failures, scrap heap politicians get to sit in the Senate. They have been rejected by the electorate but still have their mugs in the trough. Welcome to Ireland where failures are handsomly rewarded!
That Mary-Louise woman is a weapon, conceited, dishonest, thick as a brick and I feel like smacking the head off her every time she appears on V.B.
James Reilly
Michelle Mulherin
Paudie Coffey
Ray Butler
Frank Feighan
John O’Mahony
All rejected by the electorate but Enda selects them for the senate. So much for listening to the voter…
Despite looking after Mayo and that nastily spoken woman O Donnnell – Padraig o Ceideigh is a tremendous appiontment
enda what a ₩anker you are
What a complete waste of money something very wrong in this Country
I opened the article thinking “he’d hardly bail a load of his mates out with jobs”. How naive I was. Who voted for this? It’s not democracy.
The Taoiseach from any party has always appointed their friends to the Seanad. Why would you think it would be any different this time?
Exactly Jack.
Think about Enda for a second. 40+ years in DE (albeit 30 on his backside in opposition). Little real life CEO type experience. 40+ years on big expenses to attend his place of work. 40+ years of having some else pay his teaching pension for me (100k lump sum plus 30k a year for 4 year works 44 years ago).
How the hell could you expect reality and real reform from him ?
It’s all one big joke really. Gutted that I actually voted to keep the fkin thing.
If it was reformed and proper democratic processes were followed, it might work as a brake on legislation in the interests of FG/FF cronies
He is merely expressing in his actions the obvious. The Seanad is a white elephant and waste of public money but we had our chance to abolish this colonial relic and chickened out so we shouldn’t complain now. And before the reformists shout ‘lets change it’, we cannot afford the luxury of two houses in a small country like this where one will always be subserviant and ‘ceremonial’.
The main reason the Seanad was kept was an attempt to keep Kenny and his bunch of wannabe Torys at least a little bit under control. The thought of Kenny having absolute power was way too scary
That is what they want… Reform is better
A bit like biting your nose off…
Politics are CURROPT beyond redemption. I give up
I give up
Aside from Joan Freeman, jobs for the boys (& girls). Close affiliates of FG, once again, are nicely looked after!!
New politics, me hoop.
Frankie Elbows…
C R O N Y C E N T R A L
Marie-Louise O’Donnell.
Jesus help me I don’t know if I can stand another five years of that annoying sycophant.
Ah lanigans ball, he stepped in and I stepped out again.
Glad that Averil Power isn’t on the list..
What a hateful shower of lowlife parasites.
The founder of Pieta House is a lowlife parasite?
@Brinster,
I wasn’t talking about her.
More bollocks!
John O’Mahony?
Ffffffs!
New protest fluck enda out
Lots of Mayo people there .
Also lots of politicians there who were rejected by the people. I think that if people stand for election and are rejected by the people they shouldn’t be allowed be put on the Senead and if they are they forfeit any state pension while being an active senator
A few good a few rotten. To be expected really.
“Ms Freeman this afternoon told RTÉ Radio she is one of three Senators chosen by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.”
Interesting. So Enda chose 6 ex FG TD, the RTE double jobber and one more.
Payback time for the lick-arsers is what this blatantly is! That’s how FG roll. Even if the people hate you and they don’t vote for you, don’t worry, lick some Dame Edna booty and they money keeps flowing! Sickening to the core but that our little island of corruption and cronyism.
Pass me the sick bucket.
It is very noticeable that the Taoiseachs appointees are all very much old school Kenny loyalists. It appears Kenny is trying to re-solidify his power base within the party and out manoeuvre the young pretenders away from a position to heave. Leo and Coveney have been gently put back in their box and Harris has been handed a poison chalice in health care. I actually think that Kenny has quite impressively re-asserted himself as the main player and wrestled back his control of the party from the brink. This government is not going to be a long term thing so Kennys future as leader hinges on the ability of his loyal disciples to win over as many of the dissenters as possible. Jobs dor the boys definitely but it may just be enough to save his leadership and political career
Mayo did well.
Feighan, Reilly, Mulherin, Coffee – it’s like a rerun of A League Of Gentlemen.
This just makes me hate Enda that little bit more. Washed up politicians who could get a voted enough votes access the gravy train through the backdoor.
Couldn’t get a voted…..
Haven’t Joan Freeman and Padraig O ceidigh got real jobs to go to?
Trying to appease the Mental Health campaigners by choosing former Pieta House founder Joan Freeman
Enda nepotism know no bonds……more ministers for state etc.. You know he knows he won’t be fighting another election, but he is really screwing his own party in the long term
Marie Louise O’Donnell! Ah good sufferin’ jaysus.
This ‘new politics’ is looking very like kenny’s ‘recovery’. It’s like a slap in the face to the electorate who, in the main, voted most of kenny’s seanad nominations out of government. Plus ca change…
Its time to take the dictator out.
Im so glad he has went for expertise education and merit with whom he has chosen joan will be an asset to the senad and bring great expertise with her an great choice for mental health Ireland
@Chris Kelly,
Are you angling for a seat there too?
What a stupid comment.
They will fill their pants first and the seats will take the overflow, that is how I see it?
How could anyone who possesses the slightest bit of intelligence appoint that gobdaw Ray Butler to the Seanad? Don’t know which one is more the egit.
have your say