Incumbent Senator David Norris has been re-elected to the Seanad’s TCD panel on the first count having exceeded the quota. During the campaign, Norris, who has served as independent senator on the panel since 1987, highlighted his past political successes as well as his connection with Trinity.
Norris received 4,070 first preference votes, 25.4 per cent of first preference votes, with the quota at 4,017.
Counting for the three-seat University of Dublin constituency, commonly known as the TCD panel, started today in Trinity’s Public Theatre.
In the last Seanad elections in 2011, Norris was also elected on the first count, receiving 5,623 first preference votes.
Fellow incumbent Senator Ivana Bacik looks set to take the second seat comfortably on transfers, receiving 17.8 per cent of first preferences. Who will take the third seat remains uncertain, however, with current TCDSU President Lynn Ruane – on 8.6 per cent first preferences – just 22 votes ahead of Senator Averil Power, who is on 8.4 per cent first preferences. Power in turn is ahead of Senator Sean Barrett by just 39 votes.
Throughout the campaign Norris stood on his record, referencing his 2004 Civil Partnership Bill, which he refers to in his campaign video as “unsuccessful, but put a bomb under government” and his 2008 Mental Health Bill.
Speaking on the Vincent Browne show last week, Norris highlighted his achievements during his time in the Seanad, including establishing the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and his role in the success of the same-sex marriage referendum, which he states he has been working on “for the last 40 years”. He also highlighted his role in campaigning against the abolition of the Seanad, stating that he aims to “look at the nominating bodies that are totally out of date, bringing them into the 21st century”.
Speaking during a debate on higher education funding on the show, Norris cautioned against the potential “spinelessness of universities in not standing up” to corporations investing in the college who may attempt to interfere with the university’s activities.
Speaking to The University Times in March, Norris stated that he was against abortion on demand, stating: “If it’s a perfectly healthy baby, conceived in ordinary circumstances between a man and a woman, there’d want to be a bloody good reason to end that life.” He outlined, however, that he was the first Irish politician to put abortion law reform in his manifesto and his belief that it is unreasonable for “a third party, uninvolved and unknown to the young woman involved, should say to a 13-year-old rape victim, ‘you have to keep that foetus to full term’”.
A total 16,064 valid votes were cast, with incumbent senator Ivana Bacik very likely to keep her seat, having received 2,853 votes. It currently looks like Lynn Ruane, Averil Power and incumbent senator Sean Barrett will be battling for the final seat.
Counting has now stopped, and will resume at 9.30am.
Follow our live blog for the latest updates.
