Sinn Féin duo Nicole Ryan and Joanne Collins have been successful in their bids to be elected to Seanad Éireann.
Ms. Ryan was elected to the Administrative Panel in the fifth count over the course of a lengthy count over the weekend. She ran in the Cork North-West constituency in last year’s general election, and although she was unsuccessful on that occasion, she secured Sinn Féin’s highest-ever vote in the constituency. The Millstreet native, before entering politics, spent the last number of years running a successful drug education social enterprise, educating students on the dangers of substance abuse.
Joanne Collins, meanwhile, was elected on the first count for the Agricultural Panel. She was also a previous general election candidate in the Limerick County constituency and a local election candidate for the Adare/Rathkeale Local Electoral Area. A mother of four children, Joanne is married to Trevor and is a qualified special needs assistant. She is a native of Cappamore but now lives in Cappagh, where she volunteers in the local community.
Outgoing Senator Maria Byrne (Fine Gael), O’Connell Avenue in Limerick City was elected on the same panel. Dee Ryan (Fianna Fáil) of Castleconnell, however, was not successful.