Belmullet GP to contest Seanad elections for Fianna Fáil

Anton McNulty

BELMULLET-based GP Dr Keith Swanick has confirmed he is to seek a Seanad seat as a Fianna FΡil candidate in the upcoming Seanad Éireann election
Dr Swanick secured a party nomination last week on the Cultural and Education Panel and will contest the Seanad elections which will conclude on April 25.
A former Secretary of the National Association of General Practitioners, Dr Swanick has a medical practice based in Belmullet. He has been involved in the formulation of health policy for Fianna FΡil and said he is honoured to be nominated to run in the election.
“It is a great honour and privilege to be nominated to contest the Seanad election. If elected I intend to advocate for our people through reform of our healthcare system by tackling the inequalities that exist,” he said following his nomination.
Dr Swanick is a native of Castlerea, Co Roscommon but has close connections with Erris through his mother Maimie nee Leneghan who came from Doona in Ballycroy. He also spent a few months as a pupil in Drumslide National School in Ballycroy.
He moved to Belmullet with his wife, Aislinn and former Taoiseach Brian Cowen officially opened his medical centre in 2010.
This will be the second time Dr Swanick will contest a Seanad election having been put forward by Fianna FΡil to contest last November’s Seanad by-election. The by-election was called following the resignation of Labour senator Jimmy Harte. Dr Swanick  was unsuccessful in that election losing out to Labour’s Mairia Cahill, coming second with 38 votes.
The Seanad consists of 60 members, eleven of whom are nominated by An Taoiseach, while the remaining 49 seats are contested in a general election – 43 seats by way of an election for panel members and six seats by way of an election for university members.
There are six members to be elected to the Cultural and Education Panel with members of the incoming DΡil, outgoing senators and current county and city councillors entitled to vote in the panel elections.
The period for nominations by nominating bodies expired at noon yesterday while the period for nominations by members of the Oireachtas will expire at noon on Monday, March 21.The ballot papers will be issued to the electorate on Monday, April 11 and the poll will close at 11am on Monday, April 25.
The nomination of Dr Swanick may see two Belmullet-based candidates contesting the Seanad elections with speculation that local councillor Rose Conway-Walsh is to contest the Agricultural Panel for Sinn Féin.