Senate: the usual suspects

Presumably, a Taoiseach's Senate nomination for Dan Boyle and Tom Parlon. Tom Parlon's continuance in the Oireachtas may save the PDs from extinction, for a while. Dan Boyle's continuance in active politics is important for the Greens, perhaps for the two Green ministers. Otherwise probably the same mixture of party hacks, wannabee TDs and retirees.

The university seats, where there is an election of sorts, among a rigged electorate (the Trinity electorate is very small, the NUI electorate excludes graduates for all but the major universities), is the only interest.

Mary Henry is retiring from the Trinity panel, leaving Shane Ross and David Norris, both of who will probably be returned. Ivana Bakic is the favourite for the vacant seat there. She is strong on civil liberty issues, slightly to the left of the Labour party, for which she had hoped to stand as a candidate in the Dáil election.  

On the NUI side, the three outgoing Senators are standing again Fergal Quinn, Joe O'Toole and Brendan Ryan. Fergal Quinn and Brendan Ryan may be vulnerable.
Among the more interesting candidates on the NUI panel is John Hillery (50), former President of the Medical Council, son of the former President of Ireland, Patrick Hillery.

As President of the medical Council he persuaded his colleagues of the necessity for a strong independent Council membership, albeit with a majority of medics. He steered through the Fitness to Practise inquiry into the conduct of the Drogheda obstetrician, Michael Neary and into Pascal Carmody, the “alternative” practitioner in Co Clare.

He is a psychiatrist at Stewart's hospital and almost all his practise is in the public sphere. He spends less than 5 per cent of his time at private practice.