Fianna Fail claimed a double victory in Seanad by-elections yesterday, winning the two seats left vacant by the death last year of Mr Paddy McGowan (FF) and the resignation of Labour's Mr Pat Gallagher.
A former rugby international, Mr Jim Glennon, from Skerries, Co Dublin, was elected to the Seanad's industrial and commercial panel, and Mr Sean O'Fearghail, a Kildare county councillor, was voted on to the agricultural panel.
While both were elected on the first count, Mr O'Fearghail's victory was narrower, as the PDs' four TDs and four senators voted against him. The PDs see Mr O'Fearghail ail politician is seen by the PDs as a potential threat to Senator John Dardis in Kildare at the next general election.
Senator Maurice Manning (FG) thanked the PDs for the "gift of eight votes" bestowed on the Fine Gael candidate opposing Mr O'Fearghail.
Mr Manning said the PD defections could be significant locally or nationally. Either way, it "may represent the nemesis at the heels of this Coalition".
ail have an agreed Programme for Government there has never been a voting pact between the parties in any election since the formation of this Government." Three Fine Gael members seemingly abstained from voting, with Mr J.J. Manion, the party's candidate for the industrial and commercial panel, getting only 67 votes out of a Fine Gael electorate of 70.
In each election, there were two spoiled votes, with one voter leaving the slip blank and another neglecting to enclose a declaration of identity.
Congratulating the two winning candidates, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said they were "young men who have proved themselves able and dedicated. They will be a tremendous addition to both the Seanad and the Fianna Fail parliamentary party in their new role as senators."
The leader of the Seanad, Senator Donie Cassidy (FF), said the result was sure to be "a big boost" going into the Tipperary South by-election.
Mr Glennon (46), who was capped six times with the Irish rugby team and is a former coach and manager of the Leinster senior team, was contesting his first political election. His father, Mr Frank (F.X.) Glennon, served as a Fianna Fail councillor in the 1960s.
Mr Glennon is chief executive of a medical insurance company, Medisec Ireland, and is married with three children.
Mr O'Fearghail, from Fennor House, Kildare, was an unsuccessful candidate in Kildare in the 1997 general election. A councillor since 1985, he is married with two young children.
Both of the new senators spoke of their desire to restore public confidence in politics and politicians in light of recent scandals and widespread cynicism.
