Hazel Chu secures nominations to run as an unofficial Green Party candidate for Seanad by-elections

Lord Mayor of Dublin and Green Party chairperson Hazel Chu has secured nominations to run as an unofficial Green Party candidate for the Seanad by-elections.

Having failed to gain her party’s backing in the running, Ms Chu has secured the necessary nine nominations herself from both Green Party and Independent TDs and Senators.

She received nominations from Green Party Minister Catherine Martin, Green TDs Neasa Hourigan, Patrick Costello and Francis Noel Duffy, Green Party junior minister Joe O’Brien, Green Party Senator Vincent P Martin, Independent TD Marian Harkin and Independent TDs Lynn Ruane and Eileen Flynn.

Candidates wishing to run for the Seanad by-elections have until tomorrow to gather their nominations.

There are two vacancies in the Seanad, one on the Agricultural Panel and the other on the Industrial and Commercial Panel.

Ms Chu did not respond to requests for comment.

The by-elections arise because Michael D’Arcy, a former minister of state at the Department of Finance, controversially resigned last September to take up the post of chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Managers.

The following month saw the abrupt departure of Sinn Féin senator Elisha McCallion after she was disciplined by her party over the receipt and non-return of £10,000 in Covid business grants in Northern Ireland.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, have a deal that should see each take a further seat in the upper house.

The berths formerly belonged to Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, with Leo Varadkar’s party looking to hold onto a seat while Micheál Martin is aiming to pick up a seat.

Postal voting will be held between April 7-21.

Online Editors