All polls in the Seanad election have closed and counting is underway in Dublin

POLLING FOR THE vocational panels in the Seanad election has closed and counting is underway at Leinster House. It is . So far one senator, independent Michael McDowell, has been .

Senators and would-be senators have been canvassing TDs, councillors and graduates from the National University of Ireland and Trinity College of Dublin since early December to earn one of the 49 seats up for grabs. Elected TDs, councillors and outgoing senators vote for candidates to fill 43 seats on five vocational panels. Ballots were cast at Leinster House, in the Members’ Restaurant, for the last month and polls closed this morning.



Counting got underway yesterday after polls for graduates from Trinity College in Dublin and the National University of Ireland closed. Graduate ballots are being counted at Trinity College and at the RDS in Dublin. Outgoing senators Tom Clonan and Lynn Ruanne are both seeking re-election on the Trinity Panel, while Rónán Mullen and Alice Mary-Higgins are seeking re-election on the NUI panel.

It is likely that the senators will retain their seats, based on early tallies shared online last night. McDowell was elected following the first full count at the RDS just before midnight. All seats are set to be filled by Monday or Tuesday, depending on the length of the count.

Following the elections, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin will get the opportunity to appoint 11 senators to the upper house. This is done to ensure that the government has a majority in the Dáil and the Seanad. Depending on the outcome of the election, Martin may choose to appoint someone outside of both coalition parties.

Previous Taoisigh have chosen to appoint people from groups not adequately represented in the Oireachtas..