Sadhbh O'Neill to contest Trinity Seanad panel
Sadhbh O'Neill, Labour candidate, was eliminated from the count on the 7th round. She is already looking towards her next campaign. Photo: Hugh Dooley.
Labour's Sadhbh O'Neill has been announced as a candidate for the Trinity panel for the upcoming Seanad elections in January.
Ms O'Neill recently contested the General Election in Waterford for the Labour Party and received 2.8% of the first preference vote. The former Dublin City Council member and Irish Times columnist hinted at her aspiration to run in the Seanad election following her elimination in the 7th round of the count.
"I’m thrilled to be nominated as a candidate for the TCD Seanad election," the Trinity panel candidate said after receiving the Labour nomination from her party leader Ivana Bacik TD.
"I believe I have a good chance of winning a seat. There are two Green Party candidates standing (bizarrely) which might split the vote. I have the backing of Labour leader Ivana Bacik and a long list of high-profile TCD academics as well as Oisin Coghlan, CEO of Friends of the Earth. I’m looking forward to the campaign and will make some time to ensure my GE posters are all down by the end of this weekend!"
"I’m standing in this election to campaign for climate and environmental action, for improved student services and housing, better stipends for postgraduates, reducing the voting age in local and European elections, and to hold the tech sector and social media platforms to account both in relation to digital privacy, mental wellbeing and a sensible data centre policy."
"It’s a postal vote, and the ballots will be issued at the end of December with votes counted on the 29th of January 2025. To vote you have to be already on the TCD Seanad register (it’s possible to change your address if you’re already registered, but if you’re a recent graduate from this autumn you won’t have a vote in this election)."
"This is the last of the old system where TCD had 3 senators and the NUI had 3," she said, "Following last-minute and very rushed legislative changes before the [General Election], the next Seanad election will see one combined university panel with a potential electorate of half a million graduates from all Irish universities."
"As for my candidacy, I’ll be seeking amendments/reforms to that legislation to ensure that the integrity and diversity of the TCD Seanad is maintained and that the new combined panel does not become an outlet for celebrity candidates."
The former Green Party Councillor was first elected to a public position in 1991 while she was a student at Trinity College Dublin. She was elected to Dublin City Council and held the position until 1996.
Since then, O’Neill has been a regular contributor to the Irish Times opinion and science pages, while working in climate policy at DCU and engaging in environmental activism. O’Neill most recently ran for election in the 2022 Seanad Bye-election when she was eliminated on the 11th count after receiving 6.5 per cent of first preference votes.
The full list of nominated candidates in the Seanad Elections in January will be available on January 8.
Keep an eye on Waterford-News.ie for the latest on Waterford's candidates.
