There will be a number of Roscommon natives and connections on the Ballot Papers for the upcoming Seanad Éireann Elections following the deadline for Nominations today.
Councillor Maura Hopkins was the last Roscommon person to be confirmed as a candidate. She announced on Friday morning that she would be contesting the election for the Administrative Panel, saying that she was “delighted to be selected by Fine Gael.”
Sinn Fein’s Claire Kerrane had indicated an interest in running however after meeting at the weekend the party announced this morning that they would only be nominating seven candidates.
Early last week Councillor Nigel Dineen announced that he had been nominated to run for the Commercial and Industrial Panel.
Outgoing Senator Terry Leyden, is seeking re-election to the Labour panel. He was first elected to the upper house in 2002. Another outgoing Senator, Labour’s John Kelly, decided not to seek re-election
Castlerea native Dr. Keith Swanick, who works as a GP in Belmullet, has been selected to contest the election for the Cultural and Educational Panel.
London based Human Rights Campaigner Barry Johnston, who is originally from Creagh, has been nominated to contest the National University of Ireland Panel.
He will be joined in the election by Ballygar based GP Dr. Martin Daly, who is well know to Roscommon people for his involvement on the Management Board of Roscommon County Hospital and with Roscommon GAA Teams. Both men confirmed their candidacy at the beginning of the month.
Former Minister Michael McDowell SC, who has a holiday home near Rooskey, is also one of the 30 candidates in the running for one of the three National University of Ireland position
Ballot papers are now being distributed and polls close on April 26th.
Seanad Éireann consists of sixty senators, composed as follows:
Eleven nominated by the Taoiseach, three elected by graduates of the National University of Ireland, three elected by graduates of the University of Dublin (Trinity College) and 43 elected from five special “panels” of nominees, nominated by TDs, outgoing Senators and members of City and County Councils.