FF ‘unlikely’ to lose control of Seanad

THE possibility of Fianna Fáil losing control of the Seanad and struggling to pass crucial government legislation was yesterday deemed feasible but unlikely by Fine Gael.

The loss of 100 seats in the 2004 local elections has curtailed Fianna Fáil’s voting strength by 20% in the Seanad elections which close on July 24 and may propel the party to seek the support of Independent TDs in the event of it losing any of its existing 34 seats.

Any seat losses to Fine Gael and the Green Party or Sinn Féin, both of which are considering running candidates for the first time, would seriously undermine Fianna Fáil’s ability to ensure the smooth passage of legislation through the Seanad.