The counts for the National University of Ireland, Trinity College and Labour panels of the Seanad are continuing.
Membership of the 11-seat Agricultural panel was finalised this afternoon with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael both taking four seats, Labour two and Sinn Féin one.
Maurice Cummins and Fidelma Healy Eames of Fine Gael have so far been elected to the 11-member Labour panel as has Marie Moloney of Labour and David Cullinane of Sinn Féin.
The NUI count is taking place in the Serpentine Hall of the RDS in Ballsbridge and is expected to take two days, with the results likely to be announced tomorrow evening at the earliest. Polling for the panels closed at 11am.
There are 27 candidates in all on the NUI panel. The postal ballot closed today at 11am and a turnout of between 34,000 and 35,000 votes is expected, out of a total electorate of 97,734.
The Dublin University count takes place in the Examination Hall of Trinity College Dublin. It will continue until about 10.30pm tonight. It will resume tomorrow at 9.30am if necessary. Each university elects three senators.
Early tallies for the NUI panel show Independent senator Ronan Mullen is likely to be re-elected along with cancer specialist John Crown and businessman Feargal Quinn. Tally figures for the NUI panel show Mr Mullen on almost 20 per cent; Dr Crown on 13.5 per cent; Mr Quinn with 13.2 per cent.
The first candidate elected to the 24th Seanad was former Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central, Deirdre Clune, who narrowly lost out in the general election. Ms Clune is widely expected to be appointed leader of the Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny when all the seats are filled.
Fine Gael won two seats on the Cultural and Educational panel, with Michael Mullins from Galway elected along with Ms Clune.
Fianna Fáil is expected to win 12 or 13 seats out of the 43 up for grabs on the five vocational panels. The party had 28 seats in the outgoing Seanad.
Former Meath TD Thomas Byrne, one of the 10 names on party leader Micheál Martin’s list, was the leading Fianna Fáil candidate on the five-seat Cultural and Educational panel, and took one of the two seats won by the party last night. The other Fianna Fáil seat went to long-serving senator Labhrás Ó Murchú, who polled strongly.
Labour took one seat, with John Gilroy, who came close to winning a Dáil seat in Cork North Central in the general election, topping the poll on the first count.
Another of Mr Martin’s favoured candidates, Brian Ó Domhnaill - an unsuccessful Dáil candidate in Donegal South West - has been elected to the Agricultural panel as have long-time Fianna Fáil senators Paschal Mooney and Jim Walsh and their party colleague Denis O’Donovan. Fianna Fáil candidates Seán Connick, a former junior minister, and outgoing senator James Carroll were not elected.
Labour’s James Heffernan topped the panel poll, followed by Paddy Burke of Fine Gael. Paul Bradford of Fine Gael was returned this afternoon and Sinn Féin candidate Trevor Ó Clochtartaigh was also elected. Fine Gael's Michael Comiskey and Patrick O'Neill were elected on the 21st count.
Journalist Susan O’Keeffe, who unsuccessfully contested the 2009 European election and this year’s general election for Labour, has also been elected.
