Polls have just closed in the Seanad election for the vocational panels, with 13 Galway names in the mix.
Rónán Mullen and Alice Mary Higgins are contesting the National University of Ireland panel, and are expected to be re-elected after polling well in the first count last night.
Independent Senator Michael McDowell was the first person elected to the new Seanad after topping the poll just after midnight.
24 candidates are contesting the five seat Cultural and Educational Panel - The Galway interest includes outgoing Senator and former Fine Gael TD Seán Kyne who reversed his decision to retire from politics, along with serving Loughrea area Fianna Fáil councillor Shane Curley.
32 candidates are contesting the 11 seat Agricultural Panel - They include Gort-Kinvara area Fine Gael Councillor PJ Murphy; Connemara South Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas; outgoing Fine Gael Senator Aisling Dolan and outgoing Independent and former Fianna Fáil Senator Eugene Murphy who failed to win a seat in Roscommon-Galway in the last General Election.
21 candidates will contest the 11 seat Labour Panel - They include outgoing Independent Senator and Salthill native Gerard Craughwell along with outgoing Fianna Fáil Minister Anne Rabbitte who lost her seat in the 2024 general election.
30 candidates are contesting the 9 seat Industrial and Commercial Panel - They include Portumna native Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, and outgoing Fianna Fail senator Ollie Crowe.
21 candidates are vying for a place on the 7 seat Administrative Panel - Eugene Murphy's name is here again while Fine Gael election candidate Niamh Madden from Portumna is also on the list.
