Former junior minister Anne Rabbitte has been appointed to the Seanad.
Three TDs who lost their seats in the recent general election have been appointed to the Seanad by Taoiseach Simon Harris.
Former Fianna Fáil TDs Anne Rabbitte and Joe Flaherty, and Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell have been appointed as Taoiseach’s nominees to the Seanad until the Seanad election takes place at the end of January.
The new senators were appointed to fill gaps left vacant by Erin McGreehan, Timmy Dooley and Emer Currie, who were elected as TDs less than two weeks ago. They will remain in situ until the Seanad election on January 29-30.
Ms Rabbitte, who served as a junior minister for disabilities, lost her Fianna Fáil seat in Galway East at the election.
Mr Flaherty lost his seat in Longford-Westmeath and Mr Farrell, who was the chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, lost his seat in Dublin Fingal East.
A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said: “As part of an agreement between the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the three vacant seats have been filled until the next Seanad elections in accordance with Article 18.10.2 of the Constitution. Alan Farrell will replace Emer Currie, and Joe Flaherty and Anne Rabbitte will replace Erin McGreehan and Timmy Dooley.”
