Mayo's representation in the Oireachtas now totals seven with the election of three Mayo politicians to the 25th Seanad, along with the four TDs returned to the Dáil. The first of those elected to the upper house was Belmullet based Fianna Fáil candidate Keith Swanick who picked up a seat on the Cultural and Educational panel in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
He was followed by Sinn Féin's Rose Conway Walsh who topped the poll on the Agricultural panel. Conway Walsh was a sitting member of Mayo County Council having first been elected to that chamber in 2009. She contested both the 2011 and 2015 general elections but failed to take a seat. Her election to the Seanad will now create a vacancy on Mayo County Council which will be filled by her party.
Later on Tuesday, outgoing Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Senator Paddy Burke of Fine Gael was re-elected to the upper house on the 14th count on the Agricultural Panel. Senator Burke has been a member of the Seanad since 1993.
