{"id":25677,"date":"2022-04-01T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25677"},"modified":"2022-04-03T10:32:11","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T14:32:11","slug":"martin-congratulates-tom-clonan-on-his-election-to-the-seanad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25677","title":{"rendered":"Martin Congratulates Tom Clonan On His Election To The Seanad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tom Clonan won the Trinity College seat following a lengthy by-election count (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Taoiseach has congratulated a disability rights campaigner who has been elected to the Seanad following a lengthy by-election count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Clonan won the Trinity College seat on the 16th count, edging out psychologist Maureen Gaffney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final result saw Mr Clonan gain 5,358 votes, with Ms Gaffney in second place with 5,198.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin congratulated Mr Clonan on his victory after what he described as a \u201cvery competitive race\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He tweeted: \u201cNo doubt you will be a strong voice and advocate for disability rights in Seanad \u00c9ireann and I wish you every success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A number of well-known candidates had vied for the seat, including former Dublin lord mayor and Green Party councilor Hazel Chu and retired Irish rugby international Hugo MacNeill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The by-election was triggered when Labour\u2019s Ivana Bacik won a seat in the D\u00e1il last year. She was last week confirmed as the new leader of the Labour Party following the resignation of Alan Kelly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total valid poll in the by-election was 13,418 from an electorate of just under 68,000 Trinity graduates.<\/p>\n

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