Mix of old and new in Seanad nominations
by Danielle Harney Updated: Wednesday, 16th March, 2011 5:10pm
Only Labour finalises candidates
A number of new and old faces in the locality have been nominated to contest what could possibly be the last Seanad elections due to take place next month.
Only Labour has finalised its list of nominations, while Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are expected to announce their nominations some time this week.
The nominations by outside bodies were finalised last Friday for the Senate elections, which will take place in late April through a postal vote.
Among the new faces of nominees is Roscommon County Councillor John Kelly, a member of the Labour Party, who failed to win a Dáil seat in the Roscommon/South Leitrim constituency. He has been a councillor in the Castlerea electoral area since 2004 and has contested the last two general elections.
He was nominated by the parliamentary party and central council to the Administrative Panel last week.
If Cllr Kelly gets elected to the Seanad a new councillor will then have to be co-opted on to Roscommon County Council on behalf of the Labour party.
A Moate-based man is also contesting the Seanad elections as an Independent.
Seamus Boland, CEO of Irish Rural Link and well-known community development leader, will contest the Administrative Panel after being nominated by the Disability Federation of Ireland.
Seamus has extensive experience at senior level in both a professional and voluntary capacity in the community sector. His representative role is extensive and includes being Chairperson of The Wheel, a support and representative body connecting more than 700 community and voluntary organisations and charities across Ireland. Seamus is also a member of the Press Council of Ireland and a representative on the Community and Voluntary Pillar.
"We need to see the Seanad return to its original purpose which was to accommodate other voices; voices that are never heard," said Mr Boland upon his nomination.
Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have yet to finalise their choices for either Westmeath or Roscommon.
It's expected that Mullingar Fine Gael Cllr Peter Burke, who contested the general election as Nicky McFadden's running mate will be nominated in Westmeath. Another Fine Gael councillor Frank McDermott from Castlepollard has been nominated on the Agricultural Panel by an outside body.
Incumbent Fianna Fáil Senators Donie Cassidy from Mullingar and Terry Leyden in Roscommon are both nominated on the Labour panel and both by outside parties. It's believed that party leader Micheal Martin wants the party to select younger, up-and-coming members to run in the Senate elections.
Finally, Cllr Michael Mullins from Ballinasloe, a member of the Galway VEC has been nominated by the VEC to the Cultural and Educational Panel.
The results of the election will be known after the postal vote closes on April 26. Taoiseach Enda Kenny is also allowed to make a total of 11 personal nominations to the Seanad as well.
