CrimProf Ivana Bacik Attempts to Take Seat in Seanad

From independent.ie.com: In Dublin,Ireland,Trinity College's Reid CrimProf Ivana Bacik was looking likely last night to take a seat in the Seanad.

Ms Bacik, who was a prominent spokeswoman for the Alliance for a No Vote in the successful campaign to defeat the referendum on abortion in March 2002, seemed set to take the seat formerly held by Mary Henry, who is not standing in this election.

Family values campaigner Ronan Mullen is also in the running to take a seat in the Seanad at his first attempt.

As counting of about 36,000 ballots from National University of Ireland graduates began yesterday, early tallies showed that he had received 13.64pc of first preferences.

This put him just behind outgoing senator Joe O'Toole (15.3pc) but ahead of the other outgoing senators on the university panel, former supermarket owner Fergal Quinn (10.76pc) and Labour politician Brendan Ryan (9.67pc).

"I'm delighted with the first count tally and I'm grateful to the people who voted for me," he said. "It's a huge encouragement because it's my first time running since student politics 16 years ago." 

Rest of Article. . . [Mark Godsey]