Counting will start today for the Seanad Elections with local candidates vying for a seat. Voting began yesterday for the two University panels. Micheal McDowell has become the first candidate to be elected to the new Seanad. The Independent Senator was re-elected to the National University of Ireland panel on the first count just before midnight. Seven people in the Shannonside region received nominations at the start of the month to contest the Seanad Elections. The Seanad comprises of 49 Senators across five vocational panels and two university panels along with 11 Taoiseach appointments bringing the total to 60. Outgoing Senators Aisling Dolan of Fine Gael and Eugene Murphy, now Independent, are looking to retain their Seanad seats through the Agriculture panel. Fianna Fail's Joe Flaherty lost his seat in Longford Westmeath as a TD and was subsequently appointed to the outgoing Seanad by the Taoiseach due to gaps left by those in the house getting elected to the Dail.
A number of sitting County Councillors in the region are also seeking to move to Leinster House. Longford's Paraic Brady and Leitrim's Paddy O'Rourke are both seeking a seat after nominations through Agriculture panel. While Roscommon native and NYC St Patrick’s Day Foundation founder Hilary Beirne and Roscommon Homeless Advocate Mairead Kenny are seeking to take one of three seats on the National University of Ireland Panel. It's hoped that counting for the university panels will conclude later this evening with counting for the vocational panels expected to go into the weekend. Following the results, there will be 11 Taoiseach nominations that will take the remaining seats.
