News
Jan 30, 2025

First Count Completed in Final Dublin University Seanad Election

Ruane and Clonan lead the first preference vote, with Aubrey McCarthy and Hugo MacNeill contesting third place.

Eoin ConnollyPolitics Editor
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Photo by Brídín Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce

The first count for the election for the Dublin University Seanad Election was completed after midnight. 

 

After the first count incumbent Senators Lynn Ruane and Tom Clonan seem likely to win re-election, with Ruane receiving 3,761 and Clonan receiving 3,473 first preference votes. They are likely to pick up enough transfers from eliminated candidates to pass the quota. Once a candidate passes the quote of 4,450 votes, or all other candidates are eliminated, they will be deemed elected. 

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The battle for the third seat will likely come down to the wire, with the two current front-runners being Aubrey McCarthy and Hugo MacNeill, who stand at 1,814 and 1,684 first preference votes respectively. Green Party candidates  Hazel Chu and Ossian Smith received 1,450 and 1,380, votes respectively, with a potentially high transfer rate presenting a strong chance at the final seat. Labour candidate Sadhbh O’Neill received 1,085 votes and former Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone received 950 votes.

 

This election is set to be the last of its kind, as the Dublin University Seanad constituency where graduates of Trinity College Dublin elect three Senators is set to be abolished along with the National University of Ireland constituency to create a new six-seat constituency with franchise for all third-level graduates. 

 

As no candidate has reached the quota at this count, the lowest candidate will be excluded and the ballot papers of  Abbas Ali O’Shea will be distributed.

 

Counting will continue throughout tomorrow, as the candidates with the lowest number of votes will gradually be eliminated and have their votes transferred.

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