FORMER MINISTER of state Áine Brady has expressed her disappointment at not being selected as a preferred Seanad candidate by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, whom she seconded as party leader.
Ms Brady, who lost her Kildare North Dáil seat in the general election, said she expected to be on the list of 10 candidates that Mr Martin had asked councillors to give priority to in the forthcoming Seanad elections.
“I am disappointed. I did feel I had made a good case to the party leader. I felt I was on the shortlist. If I thought I wasn’t going to be selected I would have sought an outside nomination,” she said.
Other party members expressed surprise that former Cavan-Monaghan TD Margaret Conlon, who also lost her seat last month, was not included.
“They’re both good, both hard-working. I just don’t fully understand why they’re not on the list, especially given our well-documented problems with gender balance,” one source said. Ms Conlon could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Mr Martin’s list includes Senator Darragh O’Brien, former minister of state Seán Connick and former TD Thomas Byrne.
Outgoing Senators Marc Mac Sharry, Brian Ó Domhnaill and James Carroll are on the list, as are councillors Mary Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor and Kenneth O’Flynn. Averil Power, who contested the Dáil election unsuccessfully, is the 10th person.
Meanwhile, a large number of long-standing Fianna Fáil Senators are defying the wishes of Mr Martin, who asked them to consider stepping aside to facilitate younger members he believes can win Dáil seats in the future.
Mr Martin has met councillors, who make up a large portion of the electorate, to persuade them to back his candidates. A spokesman for Fianna Fáil said Mr Martin was encouraged by the response.
“He recognises the electors are there by virtue of their own office and he respects that, but he has asked them for their support as he begins the renewal process,” a spokesman said.
Others strike a more sceptical note. “He’s dealing with a very wily electorate. They’re not all virgins in the political sense,” a source said.
Voting for the 24th Seanad concludes on April 27th. Among those outgoing Senators who have declared as candidates, in which the party can win 12 seats at most, are Donie Cassidy, Jim Walsh, Mary White, Ann Ormonde, Terry Leyden and John Hanafin.
Mr Hanafin’s sister, former minister and Fianna Fáil deputy leader Mary Hanafin, who lost her Dáil seat, recently confirmed she would not contest the Seanad election.
Former minister of state Martin Mansergh is also a candidate.
