Taoiseach's Seanad 11 shows few surprises

DISAPPOINTED general election candidates and hopefuls for a seat in the next Dáil figure among the Taoiseach's nominees to the Seanad, announced last night.

At the same time, Mr Ahern also appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen to be his deputy leader of the Fianna Fáil party. The appointment strengthens Mr Cowen’s credentials as a potential successor and is a break with party tradition which usually saw the deputy leader as an elder figure not seen as a future leader.

The Taoiseach re-appointed former Northern Ireland Ombudsman Dr Maurice Hayes as the informal representative of the Northern community. Also moving to the Upper House, as expected, is the former Public Enterprise Minister and Fianna Fáil deputy leader, Mary O’Rourke, who lost her seat in the Dáil election on May 17.