Taoiseach to nominate new senators

THE Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, is expected to nominate five new senators tomorrow to fill the seats in the Upper House which were …

THE Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, is expected to nominate five new senators tomorrow to fill the seats in the Upper House which were vacated in the general election.

Five Taoiseach's nominees to the Seanad were elected to the Dail last weekend: Mr Billy Kelleher, Ms Marian McGennis and Mr G.V. Wright, for Fianna Fail; Mr Brian Hayes, for Fine Gael; and Mr Jack Wall, for the Labour Party.

The nominations will be geared to give the outgoing Government extra votes in the Seanad elections on August 6th. Members of the new Dail and the outgoing Seanad as well as members of local authorities have votes in the

Seanad elections.

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There was informed speculation in Leinster House last night that Mr Bruton would allocate one seat each to the Labour Party and Democratic Left.

Mr Tom Berkery, the unsuccessful Fine Gael candidate who challenged the former minister, Mr Michael Lowry, in Tipperary North, and a member of Mr Paddy Harte's family in Donegal North East are believed to be on the Taoiseach's list.

The new senators will sit in the Upper House for two months.

Geraldine Kennedy

Geraldine Kennedy

Geraldine Kennedy was editor of The Irish Times from 2002 to 2011