This article first appeared on Galway Bay FM
13 names of Galway interest are to contest the Seanad elections over the next few weeks
They include outgoing Senators Sean Kyne, Aisling Dolan, Ollie Crowe, Eugene Murphy, Gerard Craughwell, Rónán Mullen and Alice Mary Higgins
2 will contest the National University of Ireland panel, while 11 will contest what are known as the Vocational Panels where the electorate comprises members of the incoming Dáil, the outgoing Seanad and city and county councillors
24 candidates are contesting the five seat Cultural and Educational Panel – The Galway interest includes outgoing Senator and former Fine Gael TD Seán Kyne who has reversed his decision to retire from politics along with serving Loughrea area Fianna Fáil councillor Shane Curley
32 candidates are contesting the 11 seat Agricultural Panel – They include Gort-Kinvara area Fine Gael Councillor PJ Murphy; Connemara South Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas; outgoing Fine Gael Senator Aisling Dolan and outgoing Independent and former Fianna Fáil Senator Eugene Murphy who failed to win a seat in Roscommon-Galway last month
21 candidates will contest the 11 seat Labour Panel – They include outgoing Independent Senator and Salthill native Gerard Craughwell along with outgoing Fianna Fáil Minister Anne Rabbitte who lost her seat in last month’s election
Anne Rabbitte’s name is on the list despite being announced as a Taoiseach nominee last month, with political analysts saying this was premature ahead of government formation talks
30 candidates are contesting the 9 seat Industrial and Commercial Panel – They include Portumna native Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, and outgoing Fianna Fail senator Ollie Crowe
21 candidates are vying for a place on the 7 seat Administrative Panel – Eugene Murphy’s name is here again while Fine Gael election candidate Niamh Madden from Portumna is also on the list
The Ballot papers will go out on January 15 with the count taking place in the RDS on January 30
The 3 seat NUI panel for which graduates of University College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Galway and Maynooth University can all vote will be contested by outgoing Independent Senators Alice Mary Higgins from Galway city and Rónán Mullen from Ahascragh
Ballot papers are now being posted to over 112,000 electors on the NUI Register
The poll will close on 29 January and the count will take place afterwards
