Counting is underway in the the Seanad election today with six Clare candidates vying for a seat in the upper chamber of the oireachtas.
Envelopes were opened at 11 o'clock this morning ahead of the sorting of votes.
With ongoing Government uncertainty, the Seanad election appears to have taken a back seat in the public sphere, but despite that counting got underway this morning, with six candidates in Clare hoping to gain a seat.
11 positions are nominated by the Taoiseach and a further 43 are elected by a number of panels that represent vocational interests.
The first panel to be counted is the Cultural and Educational panel, which could see Ennis Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard elected to the Seanad later today, if successful in her bid.
Votes for the Agircultural Panel will be counted tomorrow. Maghera Fianna Fail Councillor Pat Hayes is nominated here, though he has said that he was not campaigning.
Later in the week, outgoing Fine Gael Senators Tony Mulcahy and Martin Conway will learn their fate, along with their party colleague Councillor John Crowe and President of Ógra Fianna Fáil, Ennisman Eoin Neylon.
