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2021 Seanad by-elections

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Twoby-electionswere held for vacancies inSeanad Éireannon Wednesday, 21 April 2021.[1]The vacancies were caused by the resignations ofFine Gael'sMichael W. D'Arcyfrom theAgricultural Panelin September 2020 to become chief executive of the Irish Association of Institute Management;[2]and ofSinn Féin'sElisha McCallionfrom theIndustrial and Commercial Panelin October 2020 due to aCOVID-19grants controversy.[3]

Fine Gael'sMaria Byrnewas elected to theAgricultural Panel,andFianna Fáil'sGerry Horkanto theIndustrial and Commercial Panel.[4]Both were elected on the first count.

Electoral system

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Ballots being tabulated

In vacancies in theVocational panels,the electorate in by-elections consists ofOireachtasmembers only,[5]which will consist of 160TDsand 58 Senators.[6]To be nominated, a candidate must have the signature of nine TDs and/or Senators.[7]Ballot papers were issued on 7 April and the polls closed at 11 am on 21 April.[6]

All votes were cast by postal ballot, and were counted using thesingle transferable vote.Under this system, voters can rank candidates in order of their preference, 1 as their first preference, 2 for second preference, and so on. Ballots are initially given a value of 1,000 to allow calculation of quotas (Droop quota) where all ballots are distributed in the case of a surplus.

Process and dates

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Michael W. D'Arcyresigned on 30 September 2020,[8]with a notice of the vacancy sent to theMinister for Housing, Local Government and Heritageon 1 December.[9]Elisha McCallionresigned on 5 November 2020,[10]with a notice of the vacancy sent to the minister on 1 February 2021.[11]The minister is required to make a Seanad by-election order within 180 days after receiving a notice of a vacancy.[12]On 3 March 2021, MinisterDarragh O'Brienmade an order for the by-election which set the following dates:[13]

  • 23 March 2021: close of receiving nominations;
  • 30 March 2021: ruling on nominations;
  • 7 April 2021: issuing of ballot papers;
  • 21 April 2021, at 11 a.m.: close of poll.

Campaign

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Fianna FáilandFine Gaelran one candidate each in different panels, and had a voting pact to back each other's candidates.[6]

Sinn Féindid not run any candidates but backed independent UnionistIan Marshallon the Agricultural Panel andBilly Lawlesson the Industrial and Commercial Panel.[7][14][15]TheSocial Democratsalso supported Ian Marshall on the Agricultural Panel.[16][17]

In early March 2021, theGreen Partyexecutive council, as well as the majority of their TDs and Senators, agreed not to run candidates for the Seanad by-election, but to leave each of the larger two parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, to run one candidate each, in line with an informal agreement between the three government parties.[18]However, on 22 March 2021,Hazel Chuannounced her intention to run as anindependentcandidate. As a result, Green Party leaderEamon Ryanindicated that he would not vote for her on this occasion, and further that Chu's role as party chairperson might be discussed internally.[19][20]

Results

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Agricultural Panel

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2021 Seanad by-election:Agricultural Panel[4]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Fine Gael Maria Byrne 58.4 118,000
Ind. Unionist Ian Marshall 34.2 69,000
Labour Angela Feeney 7.4 15,000
Electorate:218[a]Valid:202,000[a]Quota:101,001[a]Turnout:92.7%

Industrial and Commercial Panel

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2021 Seanad by-election:Industrial and Commercial Panel[4]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Fianna Fáil Gerry Horkan 56.2 114,000
Independent Billy Lawless 25.6 52,000
Labour Ciarán Ahern 13.3 27,000
Independent Hazel Chu[b] 4.9 10,000
Electorate:218[a]Valid:203,000[a]Spoilt:4,000[a]Quota:101,501[a]Turnout:94.9%
Notes
  1. ^abcdefgTo facilitate transfer of fractional surpluses, each valid ballot paper is given a value of 1,000.[21]
  2. ^Chu is a member of theGreen Partybut stood in the election as an Independent candidate.

References

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  1. ^Seanad bye-elections 2021 list of candidates(PDF)(Report). Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 March 2021.
  2. ^"Former junior finance minister to head funds sector lobby group".The Irish Times.28 September 2020.Retrieved5 April2021.
  3. ^"Three Sinn Féin members resign over Covid grants".RTÉ News.29 October 2020.Retrieved5 April2021.
  4. ^abcLehane, Mícheál (21 April 2021)."Byrne, Horkan elected to Seanad following by-election".RTÉ News.Retrieved21 April2021.
  5. ^"Ryan 'very unlikely' to accept Seanad seat".Irish Independent.15 June 2009.Retrieved5 April2021.
  6. ^abc"Hazel Chu highest profile candidate of seven in Seanad byelection".The Irish Times.5 April 2021.
  7. ^ab"Four former senators among candidates for Seanad byelections".The Irish Times.12 March 2021.Retrieved5 April2021.
  8. ^"Resignation of Member – Seanad Éireann (26th Seanad)".Houses of the Oireachtas.30 September 2020.Retrieved10 November2021.
  9. ^"Vacancy In Seanad Membership: Motion – Seanad Éireann (26th Seanad)".Houses of the Oireachtas.1 December 2020.Retrieved10 November2021.
  10. ^"Resignation of Member – Seanad Éireann (26th Seanad)".Houses of the Oireachtas.5 November 2020.Retrieved10 November2021.
  11. ^"Vacancy In Seanad Membership: Motion – Seanad Éireann (26th Seanad)".Houses of the Oireachtas.1 February 2021.Retrieved10 November2021.
  12. ^Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947, s. 56: Seanad bye-election order (No. 42 of 1947, s. 56). Enacted on 19 December 1947. Act of theOireachtas.Retrieved fromIrish Statute Bookon 10 November 2021.
  13. ^"Seanad Bye-Election Order 2021; Seanad Bye-Election Order (No. 2) 2021"(PDF).Iris Oifigiúil.2021(19): 284–285. 5 March 2021.
  14. ^"Ian Marshall: Sinn Féin to support unionist in Irish senate election".BBC News.6 April 2021.Retrieved6 April2021.
  15. ^McQuinn, Cormac."Sinn Féin backing Billy Lawless in Seanad byelection race".The Irish Times.
  16. ^Moore, Aoife(21 March 2021)."FF-FG Seanad voting pact in jeopardy as reps look to back independent candidates".Irish Examiner.
  17. ^"Seanad By-Elections 2021: Dáil Éireann's Rotten Borough".The Burkean.3 April 2021.
  18. ^McQuinn, Cormac."Eamon Ryan 'tells Greens' no pact on supporting Coalition candidates for Seanad".The Irish Times.Retrieved5 April2021.
  19. ^"Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will not vote for Hazel Chu in Seanad byelection".The Irish Times.22 March 2021.Retrieved5 April2021.
  20. ^"Hazel Chu to run as independent candidate in Seanad by-election".Irish Examiner.22 March 2021.Retrieved5 April2021.
  21. ^"Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947, Schedule 2, Rule 4".electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB).Retrieved31 March2020.
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