Moylan elected as new Cathaoirleach

Fianna Fáil’s Pat Moylan was today formally elected unopposed as Cathaoirleach of the new Seanad.

The Offaly senator, who has ten years service in the Upper-House, is a close friend of Tánaiste and Finance Minister Brian Cowen.

Senators gathered at the Seanad’s opening session for the appointment to the top post, which was chosen by the majority party at a meeting in Dublin last night.

Fine Gael also appointed Frances Fitzgerald is its new Senate leader, while Alex White heads up the Labour group.

Seanad Cathaoirleach is one of the most prized posts in the parliamentary party.

It carries great prestige as, among other duties, the office holder becomes a member of the Council of State.

Mr Moylan received overwhelming support from 27 of Fianna Fáil’s 28 senators last night, pulling in 15 votes.

Senator Tony Kett was the only one of the party’s senators absent.

A native of Banagher, he fought of competition from Terry Leyden from Roscommon, Dublin-based Ann Ormonde and Wexford’s Jim Walshe.

Mr Moylan was Fianna Fáil’s chief whip in the last Seanad and first elected to the Upper-house in 1997.

He is married with three sons and one daughter.

Meanwhile Fine Gael’s new Seanad leader, Frances Fitzgerald, said she was relishing the challenge.

A former social worker, she was first elected to the Dail in the 1992 general election and retained her seat until losing it in 2002.

She was elected to the Seanad in July after failing to take a Dáil seat for the Dublin mid-west constituency in this year’s General Election.

“Our country has shifted beyond recognition in a short period of time and this presents every one of us with innumerable opportunities in shaping Ireland’s future,” she said.

“The Seanad is uniquely placed to harness these opportunities.”

New Labour senator Alex White said he was thrilled to take up the party’s Upper-House leadership.

“This is a particularly exciting time to be a Labour Party senator,” he said.

“Among the six Labour Senators, five of whom are new to the Oireachtas, there are fresh ideas, tremendous energy, and a great sense of enthusiasm for the job at hand.”

A former deputy mayor of Dublin South, he is a barrister by profession and was first elected to the constituency in 2004.

Government and deputy Government leader in the house are senators Donie Cassidy and the Green’s Dan Boyle, one of the negotiators who thrashed out a Government coalition pact with Fianna Fáil.

The leas-cathaoirleach position normally goes to the opposition and will not be voted on until the Seanad meets again later in the month.