Election failures get surprise Seanad nod

NINE defeated general election candidates were yesterday appointed to the Seanad in a line-up which produced many unexpected winners and losers.

One of the most notable surprises was the inclusion of Ivor Callely, the former junior minister for transport who resigned his position in the wake of controversy over the funding of the redecoration of his house in the 1990s.

He failed to retain his seat in the recent general election and subsequently obtained a mere 13 votes in the Seanad elections last week.