Control of Seanad in the balance with count starting Monday

THE Government’s control of Seanad Éireann will be in the balance when the counting of votes for the upper house begins on Monday afternoon.

There are 49 elected seats to the Seanad — the other eleven places of the total of 60 are nominated by the Taoiseach. And six of the elected seats are reserved for the two university panels, the National University of Ireland and TCD.

Last time Fianna Fáil won 23 of the elected seats which left it with a comfortable majority when the Taoiseach’s 11 nominees were added.