Leo Varadkar backs Averil Power in Seanad elections

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has given his support to former Fianna Fáil, now Independent, Seantor Averil Power in the Seanad elections.

Mr Varadkar said: “I will be giving Averil Power my number one vote in the Seanad election and urge other Trinity graduates to do the same.

“I have known her since college, where she was an excellent president of the Students’ Union.

“ I really respected her leadership in the marriage equality campaign. She has also been a constructive and effective member of the Seanad and I hope she is re-elected.”

Polling in the Trinity College Seanad elections starts today and closes on 26th April.

A number of unsuccessful candidates in the last general election have been nominated for the Seanad elections.

Former Fine Gael TDs Jerry Buttimer, Joe O'Reilly and Fianna Fáil's Colm Keaveney are among the nominations for the Labour panel.

Gabrielle McFadden and Kieran O’Donnelll of Fine Gael have been nominated for the Cultural and Educational panel.

Fine Gael's Noel Coonan, Anthony Lawlor and Sinn Féin's Trevor O'Clochartaigh are among those nominated for the Agricultural panel.

Sinn Féin's Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, former Labour junior minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Fine Gael's James Bannon and Ray Butler are among those contesting the Industrial and Commercial panel.

Former ministers of state Paudie Coffey and Kevin Humphreys are contesting the Administrative panel.