Keogan, Tolan & Nelson Murray in race for Seanad seats

Three Meath women are seeking election to the Seanad with voting to take place later this month.

Outgoing senator and former Meath county councillor, Sharon Keogan (Independent) and Cllr Linda Nelson Murray (FG), are both seeking election to the Industrial and Commercial Panel. While Taoiseach Simon Harris has nominated Laytown/Bettystown Cllr Sharon Tolan to run in the Seanad elections on the Cultural and Educational Panel.

Outgoing senators, Shane Cassels (FF) and Annie Hoey (Labour) are not seeking re-election.

Senator Keogan was elected to the Seanad for the first time in 2020, having famously and controversially won seats in two separate electoral areas in the previous year’s local elections. She was elected to the Seanad on the 31st count, following the elimination of Niall O’Tuathaill.

Cllr Keogan was elected to Meath Co Council for the Laytown-Bettystown Municipal District in 2014 and five years later made history when she became the first woman elected to two council seats in a local election. She took up the seat she won in the Laytown Bettystown area and nominated Amanda Smith for the casual vacancy that resulted in the Ashbourne area. On her election to the Seanad in 2020, she was replaced on Meath County Council by her sister, Geraldine Keogan. In last June's local elections both Cllrs Keogan and Smith were re-elected along with another Independent who works with them, Carol Lennon.

The three councillors and Senator Keogan gave their support to former independent councillor, Gillian Toole who was elected to the Dail in November.

Cllr Keogan said it was tough as an Independent coming up against the party machines. “I have a track record of hard work locally and nationally. I have been a strong voice in the Seanad for the past five years on issues such as the recent referendums, the hate speech legislation and immigration. I am not afraid to take on the government and voices like mine are needed in a democratic society.”

She said she had made the decision not to run for the Dail over last summer. “I had struggled with what to do, but I feel the work our three councillors do on the council is very effective and I didn't want to lose my soul to politics,” she said. Senator Keogan said she felt Gillian Toole had been a great candidate and would now be part of government.

Also hoping to secure a seat in the Seanad is Sharon Tolan, a candidate in the 2024 general election for Meath East coming fifth and losing out to her running mate Helen McEntee as well Sinn Fein's Darren O'Rourke and Fianna Fail's Thomas Byrne who were all re elected. Ratoath Cllr Gillian Toole secured the new fourth seat for the constituency.

The Bettystown resident has spent ten years as a councillor for the area and was re elected in the local elections in June of last year topping the poll with 1782 votes.

She is currently the Cathaoirleach of Meath Co Council.

Taking to social media, Cllr Tolan she was "honoured" to be nominated for the role. She added:

"I am delighted and honoured to announce that An Taoiseach Simon Harris has asked me to contest the Seanad Election as his nominee on the Cultural and Educational Panel.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for me and I am very grateful for his support and encouragement.

I’m looking forward to travelling the country and meeting with Elected Representatives to ask for their support and Number one Vote!"

Navan businesswoman Linda Nelson Murray has been nominated to run for the Industrial and Commercial Panel by Retail Excellence Ireland and has the full support of her party.

The FG councillor who was elected to Meath County Council last June, runs the Zone in Navan with her husband, Finbarr Murray. She narrowly missed out on a Dáil seat in November's general election.

“I was delighted to receive the nomination and I have been on the Seanad trail since early December. It is my third election is six months. I have been getting lovely reception from all parties.

“I am very proud of the support I received in the general election and I think it would be great to have a senator in Meath West.”

Linda Nelson Murray's first taste of politics was when she took on the insurance industry when she faced losing her business over massive insurance costs and she formed the Play Activity and Leisure Ireland (PALI) lobby group. Her campaigning saw new legislation on insurance introduced as well as lower premiums for those in the play and leisure industry.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fail's Senator Shane Cassells announced his decision to quit politics last September.

The shock announcement after 25 years in politics came as Fianna Fail were preparing to select their general election candidate for Meath West.

“I have been thinking about this for a couple of months. I needed to make a decision about the future. Elected politics takes huge levels of energy and drive and I think I've expended that energy.

“It was a great honour to represent the people of Meath. I will continue my involvement in Fianna Fail and I'll continue campaigning until I'm an elderly man,” he said.

Senator Cassells was first elected to Navan Town Council in 1999 at the age of 21 and served on Meath County Council from 2004 to 2016 when he was elected to the Dáil. However, he lost his seat in the 2020 General Election and was elected to the Seanad later that year to the Labour Panel.

Labour Senator Annie Hoey, who was the first Meath candidate to be elected to the Seanad in 2020, is not seeking re-election.

She was elected as a councillor for the Laytown/ Bettystown Electoral Area in 2019 and was elected to the Seanad's Agricultural panel in 2020.