This article first appeared on Galway Bay FM

Counting has resumed in the Seanad Elections – With two Galway candidates currently doing well in the vote for the 11-seat Agricultural panel.

Of the 11 seats to be filled on this panel,  4 candidates have been elected.

They are: Malcolm Noonan, Joanne Collins, Victor Boyhan and Paul Daly,

Polling well among the Galway candidates are Moycullen-based Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas and Ardrahan Fine Gael Councillor PJ Murphy.

Following the 16th count, PJ Murphy had 69,792 with Thomas on 69,412. Both still short of the quota of 95,667. 

However, their vote has them in 7th and 8th currently.

Ballinasloe Fine Gael Senator Aisling Dolan, outgoing Independent Senator and former Roscommon/Galway TD Eugene Murphy and Oranmore Fianna Fail Councillor Cillian Keane have been excluded.

Earlier today, Loughrea area Fianna Fáil Councillor Shane Curley and outgoing Fine Gael Senator Moycullen’s Sean Kyne were elected to the Senate on the Cultural and Educational panel.

Ahascragh-native Ronan Mullen and city-native Alice Mary Higgins were both re-elected to the NUI panel.

There are still 3 other panels still to be counted with Galway interest in each.

21 candidates will contest the 11 seat Labour Panel – They include outgoing Independent Senator and Salthill native Gerard Craughwell along with former Fianna Fáil TD Anne Rabbitte who lost her seat in November.

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 including Fine Gael’s Niamh Madden from Portumna who unsuccessfully contested the general election.