*Timmy Dooley flanked by Insp Paul Slattery & Cathal Crowe at a community forum meeting. Photograph: Joe Buckley
Timmy Dooley’s political career has suffered a major setback as he failed to be elected to Seanad Éireann.
Former TD Timmy Dooley (FF) will not be returning to Leinster House anytime soon. The Mountshannon native polled 35 first preference votes which had him on the backfoot from the get-go in the race to fill nine seats on the Industrial and Commercial Panel of the Seanad.
When he contested the 2002 Seanad election, Dooley received 61 votes on the first count and was elected on the twelfth count. He served in the Upper House for five years before becoming a TD, a position he held up until February.
Dooley was eliminated on the twenty first count when he had 52 votes shortly before 6:20pm on Thursday. Some of his long-time supporters had conceded defeat early this morning.
His defeat is one of the highest profile casualties of the Seanad Elections. Chairperson of the Parliament Committee on the Eighth Amendment, Catherine Noone (FG) failed in her attempt to retain her seat on the panel.
Others to lose out on different panels include ex TD Ruth Coppinger (SOL), former British and Irish Lion Hugo MacNeill (IND).
North Clare duo, Martin Conway (FG) and Ann Marie Flanagan (IND) are vying to win a seat on the Administrative Panel of the Seanad. Counting for which takes place on Friday.
