Duffy likely to contest Seanad election if nominated by Fine Gael

Ballina-based Fine Gael councillor Mark Duffy says he is prepared to face his third election campaign in less than a year if he is nominated by the party to run in the Seanad election.

The former Independent councillor, who ran unsuccessfully in the General Election last month, told The Mayo News that he is likely to contest the Seanad election next month depending on which vocational panel he is nominated in.

“I am eligible for multiple panels and I was working with the party to see what one would suit my candidacy and the nominations have not been decided by the party just yet. I will know quite soon what the outcome would be. I would be happy to put my name forward if there was a suitable panel for me to be on,” he explained.

There are five vocational panels where 43 of the 60 Seanad seats are elected with members of the incoming Dáil, members of the outgoing Seanad and members of county councils and city councils all eligible to vote in them. There are eleven seats each to be filled on the Agricultural and Labour Panels, nine on the Industrial and Commercial Panel, seven on the Administrative Panel and five on the Cultural and Education Panel.

Cllr Duffy, who was elected to a second term as an Independent councillor in Mayo County Council in June before running for Fine Gael in the General Election, said he will be willing to run in a third election. He added that he wants to be in a position to be as effective as he can to deliver for Mayo and will relish a chance of being elected to the Seanad.

Third campaign

“This will be my third campaign in less than 12 months but that is the reality of it. Every day I am learning and becoming more experienced in community and political life and it is a privilege to be able to do it. If it means another campaign I will go at it full heartedly.

“If I go on a Senate campaign you will learn an awful lot by meeting fellow councillors from right across the country and learn about the issues on the ground. Councillors are at the coalface of each and every community across the country and they get the brunt of it and are heavily invested in their communities. Having an opportunity to gain insight from all of those is a huge learning. It will be a privilege to be able to do it if I am in a position to go forward,” he said.

The deadline for proposals for nominations to the vocational panels by nominating bodies is at 12 noon on Wednesday, December 18.

Sitting Senator Lisa Chambers, who also ran in the General Election, has yet to indicate if she will defend her Seanad seat. She was elected to the Cultural and Education Panel in 2020 and was later appointed as Leader of the Seanad.

Former Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éíreann, Paddy Burke, who has been a senator since 1993 is another who has yet to indicate if he will seek another term while his brother Castlebar-based councillor Cyril Burke ruled out putting his name forward for consideration.

One person who will be contesting the election is Belmullet-based publican Padraic Conroy, who was selected as the Údaras na Gaeltachta nominee for a seat in Seanad Éireann.

Earlier this week, Westport-based councillor Brendan Mulroy released a statement stating that he will not be seeking a Fianna Fáil nomination and will instead concentrate on local politics.

“I have decided not to contest the Seanad elections on the basis that I put myself forward for re-election to Mayo County Council in June and I wish to continue my work on the ground. The voters of West Mayo placed that faith and confidence in me only six months ago and I will not be abandoning my duties to them,” Cllr Mulroy said.

Undecided

Fellow Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Ryan told The Mayo News that he has yet to make up his mind on whether to contest the election.

“I haven't made a final decision on it. I am between two minds to be honest. There is a need for a national representative from the south of the county and it has to be given consideration but there are a lot of projects in the pipeline at the local level and I will have to give them consideration as well,” he said.

Independent councillor Patsy O'Brien, who contested the 2020 Seanad Elections, also ruled himself out of the running while Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray said that he will run if he is asked by the party leadership to do so.