‘Missed opportunity’ by Taoiseach not to nominate unionist senator, Sinn Féin says

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Sinn Fein has said it was a “missed opportunity” not to include a unionist senator in the Taoiseach’s 11 nominees.

Senator Conor Murphy, Stormont’s former economy minister, said Micheál Martin had missed an opportunity to send a “positive message” to Protestant and unionist people that they were welcome in a united Ireland.

Sinn Fein’s Mr Murphy has repeatedly said his decision to leave the Northern Assembly and Executive to run for the Seanad was to further the party’s push for unification.

He made the comments as his party confirmed Slieve Gullion councillor Aoife Finnegan had been selected to fill the Assembly seat left vacant by Mr Murphy’s election to the Seanad.

On Friday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced his 11 nominees to Seanad Éireann. This process is provided for under the Constitution.

It came after a series of elections to fill the other seats to the upper house of the Oireachtas, in which Mr Murphy was successful.

The Taoiseach’s 11 nominees were Evanne Ni Chuilinn, Dee Ryan, Alison Comyn, Anne Rabbitte, Lorraine Clifford Lee, Imelda Goldsboro, Joe Flaherty, Nikki Bradley, Manus Boyle, Noel O’Donovan and Gareth Scahill. None of these nominees are from the North.

Under the terms of the coalition deal for the recently elected Government, six of the nominees went to Mr Martin’s Fianna Fáil party and Tánaiste Simon Harris’s Fine Gael party.

Mr Murphy said the Seanad had now been without a northern unionist voice since 2020 when Ian Marshall failed to be re-elected.

Sinn Féin, together with Fine Gael, supported Mr Marshall’s successful by-election run in 2018.

Sinn Féin said it also supported his by-election campaign in 2021 but said: “Mr Marshall lost out when Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael opted to carve up the two vacant seats between them.”

Mr Murphy said: “I am disappointed that the Taoiseach failed to select anyone from the North for his panel of 11 nominees.

“In particular, the Taoiseach had an opportunity to appoint people from the unionist and Protestant community.

“This is a lamentable regression by government, considering there has been no unionist voice in the Seanad since Ian Marshall, previously supported by then-taoiseach Leo Varadkar, lost his seat.

“It is a missed opportunity by the Taoiseach to send a positive message to the unionist and Protestant people that they are valued, wanted and welcome in a united Ireland.”

At a convention on Saturday, Sinn Fein members unanimously endorsed Ms Finnegan to co-opt Mr Murphy’s Newry and Armagh seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Speaking after her selection, she said: “I am both delighted and honoured to have been selected by Sinn Fein to represent Newry and Armagh in the Assembly. I want to thank all our local party activists for putting their trust in me as I take on this exciting new role.”

She added: “I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our outgoing MLA and new seanadoir, Conor Murphy.

“Conor has been a titan in Irish politics for over three decades, and he will now bring his wealth of experience and energy to Leinster House, placing Irish unity at the top of the agenda in the Senate.”