Paul Gavan pulls out of Seanad race after Sinn Fein omission

Sinn Fein senator Paul Gavan has announced he will not be seeking re-election in the Seanad election.

It comes after Sinn Fein defended a decision to leave Mr Gavan and another party candidate off a list of its Seanad hopefuls by saying it wanted to elect the strongest team possible.

Mr Gavan and councillor Daithi Doolan were nominated for the Seanad Labour Panel through the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

However, in a social media post announcing Sinn Fein’s candidates for the Seanad elections on Monday, former TD Chris Andrews and Laois-based representative Maria McCormack were listed and pictured as the party’s only hopefuls for the Labour Panel.

The Labour Panel elects 11 senators, at least four of whom must come from nominations through the Oireachtas and at least four through nominating bodies like ICTU.

Asked about the omission of Mr Doolan and Mr Gavan, the Sinn Fein press office drew a distinction between candidates put forward by the party and those nominated through external bodies.

It confirmed Mr Doolan and Mr Gavan had independently received nominations from ICTU, while Mr Andrews and Ms McCormack were nominated by the party.

Mr Gavan was included in the party’s candidate announcement for the 2020 Seanad elections, despite being put forward under the same external nomination process on that occasion.

Pressed on this discrepancy, a party spokesman told the PA news agency: “Our aim is to elect the strongest Sinn Fein team possible.”

Hours later, Sinn Fein announced that Mr Gavan would not be actively seeking re-election despite the ICTU nomination.

In a statement released by the party, he said: “Having taken time over Christmas to consider matters, I do not believe there is anything to be gained by actively contesting for a seat on the Labour Panel.

“The party has nominated and endorsed two other candidates for this panel.”

A spokeswoman for ICTU said the organisation wished Mr Gavan well in the future and thanked him for his work in the Seanad as well as a trade union official.

ICTU noted that it had put forward several other candidates which remain in the race.

Mr Doolan said on Monday that he would contest the election after successfully seeking a nomination from ICTU, having been an active member of Unite for more than 20 years.

He said: “I have a long track record of working with other union members and in the spirit of cross party co-operation on key issues, including Right to Water, support for Dublin Fire Brigade workers, and resolving the pension claims of local authority staff.

“I am confident this will attract support beyond Sinn Fein colleagues.”