Kilkenny secures two Seanad seats, while two local councillors miss out

Kilkenny will have two members in the new Seanad Eireann, increasing its representation in the upper house, while two well-known local politicians both missed out on a seat at the counts over the weekend.

Former Green Party TD Malcolm Noonan topped the poll on the Agricultural Panel and was the first elected. He served as Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform in the last government but lost his seat in November's general election.

He was later joined by another fellow candidate from that November election, Patricia Stephenson of the Social Democrats. She became her party's first-ever Seanad candidate elected.

It was disappointing news for two other local politicians hoping to become senators. Local councillors Pat Fitzpatrick (FF) and David Fitzgerald (FG) both missed out on a seat in their panels.

In Seanad elections, Dáil TDs, outgoing senators and local councillors make up the electorate for the five vocational panels. Graduates of NUI institutions and Trinity College Dublin vote for the six seats on the two university panels. The final 11 Seanad seats will be appointed by Taoiseach in the coming days.